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Consider Tactical Options |
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Victory depends on our strength, which we control, and the opportunities provided by our opponent, which we cannot control. |
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At Microsoft, senior managers meet nightly in a triage meeting during the final months of the software development process. Triage is a ruthless assessment that determines priorities for immediate action. In the Microsoft meeting, managers representing all perspectives are engaged in a power interchange. People voice their point of view, and the group negotiates a decision. ''Is this the hill we want to die on?" is the key question that makes trade-offs clear. Decisions are immediately communicated so everyone can get on with his or her work.
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Philip Knight, cofounder of Nike, wrote a graduate thesis at Stanford University. The title was: "Can Japanese Sport Shoes Do to German Sport Shoes What Japanese Cameras Did to German Cameras?" A year later he was in the shoe businessthe rest is history. He knew where he wanted to go and had a sense of how he could adopt different tactics in the sports shoe business. |
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Because victory is dependent upon both our actions and those of our opponent, maximum effort does not ensure a competitive victory. This situation can be readily seen in every sporting event where maximum effort on the playing field is exerted by every participant. |
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Tactical flexibility is the hallmark of many organizations with a reputation for customer service. That is, within guidelines, associates can take whatever action is necessary to serve the customer. |
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In the complexity of the business environment, an organization may be on the offensive with one product or service and on the defensive with another. The same strategies and tactics cannot be used for all circumstances. The question is how much time the manager should spend shoring up weaknesses as opposed to maximizing strengths. The options differ depending upon whether we are attacking or defending. That the low-cost competitor and the high-end producer must adopt different tactics becomes obvious when you scan the ads in a newspaper or magazine. |
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Regardless of the strategic and tactical circumstances, the spirit of the offense must always prevail. |
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