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TACTICS VERSUS STRATEGIES - Integrating and Optimizing.

This article was writtten by Douglas Castle for publication in TAKING COMMAND! Douglas Castle is a Featured Columnist in The National Networker Newsletter. You can join the National Networker GICBC for free, and receive their intel-rich Weekly Newsletter and other special reports by clicking on http://twitlik.com/in . This is a strong suggestion -- and not a command.

Dear Friends:

Understand the significant difference between tactics and strategies, and learn the way to think about each. Just as importantly, integrate them properly in order to achieve real results and to avoid walking a needlessly random path governed by the sway of outside forces.

Strategies are means (plans) for achieving large, longer-term objectives. These objectives are the defining conclusions of success in any operation, mission or business. A strategy is the main road (as in a straight line) between where you are today, and where you must be at the end-game point.

The deviations from this highway (because of a suddenly downed tree, a stalled vehicle, an exposed powerline or other unforseen impediments along the straight path which require special "instant fixes," "circumnavigation," "alternative methods") are addressed with tactics. Tactics are very like short-run situational strategies within a grander, macroscopic strategy.

The keys are these:

1). Have a clearly-defined goal;

2). Have a clearly-designed strategy to get there;

3). Utilize tactics along the way as necessitated by circumstances;

4). Even while involved in a tactical maneuver, keep the goal and strategy in mind;

5). The tactic cannot conflict with the strategy -- it merely serves as a means of overcoming an obstacle that separates you from the straight strategic path to your goal;

6). Do not ever let a tactic dominate your mission, or you will stray from your strategy and become lost further and further in the woods. You will become involved in a crisis management mindset with its accompanying shortcomings, and will wind up either far off course, or just dealing with problem after problem with your initial objective all but disappearing from your consciousness and efforts;

7). Use tactics which make it possible to comply with your planned strategy -- always keep your eyes on the prize.

NASCAR gives us some fine examples. A driver's objective is to complete his laps as quickly as possible in order to win. His strategy involves endurance, energy direction, focus, pacing, staying ahead of the pack and pushing forward. Evasive maneuvers to pass or avoid colliding with other cars are merely tactics to support the objective. If a driver becomes too obsessed with every petty speed battle or potentially vindictive squeeze or smashup with every other driver, he will lose his focus on finishing first. In sum: Evasive maneuvers are tactics, and making speeding along the track as quickly and fuel-efficiently as possible is the strategy. The objective is to finish first, out of all of the contenders.

Don't let tactics become diversions. Don't let them become missions unto themselves. Don't let tactics turn into your principal occupation in accomplishing goals. Tactics are used in order to support the mission and to see that impediments and obstacles are rapidly and effectively removed from the straight path to the prize.

Tactical thinking, taken to its extreme, causes an otherwise good team to stray from its course, waste time and resources, and to be thrown into the tempest of crisis management. and crisis management is one of the biggest encumbrances to successful completion of a mission.

If you permit your entire focus to be shifted from your principal objective every time you are confronted with some element of difficulty along the path, you will never gain territory -- you will merely lose time and momentum.

Harmonize your tactics within the grander framework of the strategy which you have plotted for your success. Don't let diversions turn into excursions.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
http://aboutDouglasCastle.blogspot.com
http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/douglascastle