TACTICS

The real value of strategy and tactics is in the way you apply them to achieve what you want.  Tactics are one of the main tools of the strategist. 

Five words are commonly associated with tactics, these are:

- Objective
- Manoeuvres (positioning)
- Enemy (hostile environment)
- Positioning (deploying, directing)
- Concealment (covertness / deception)

To define tactics we can say that "a tactic, whether for the realisation of a military or non-military objective, involves out-manoeuvring (manoeuvres) an opponent (enemy) by deploying and directing information and resources (positioning) to cause the opponent to behave in a certain way - often within an environment requiring concealment (concealment) because, if recognised, these actions would be opposed. "

Clearly tactics are one of the more interesting and effective tools that can be used to deliver a strategy.  This is because tactics often work where a more straightforward and open approach does not.  It is sad but true that many people are negatively competitive and will often try to prevent others achieving success just because they can.

Tactics are not infallible.  It is important that you are realistic - is what you want to achieve possible?

Let us say that if a middle manager wants to become the Managing Director of a corporation and gives themselves a day to achieve this desire then clearly they are not in touch with reality.  However, if that person was to give themselves twenty years to achieve this goal then they actually have a reasonable chance of achieving it through normal everyday means.  

Where it gets interesting is when the time period allocated is two years.  Now the task becomes achievable but merely very difficult.  Most of this book will concentrate on this concept – identifying and using tactics to achieve objectives that are attainable but often quite difficult.

STARTING IS ONLY THE BEGINING

This advice focuses on willpower and determination.  A best selling book was once written that claimed that positive thinking alone could ensure that desires were achieved.  This concept appealed and it sold in the millions.  For a while the world, and particularly California, was full of incredibly optimistic under-achievers.  Well the world didn’t change and the book is only occasionally printed but the author who did know what he wanted and devised a tactical way to achieve it, is now very rich.
 
Every year millions of desires are identified and many of these even have strategies devised to deliver them.  Sadly, in comparison to the number begun, very few actually produce the desired result. 

There are three main reasons for this:

The first is that most people don’t know what they’re doing and develop bad strategies and simply do not understand the concept of a tactic.

The second is that even those people with good strategies and tactics, just don’t have the commitment to see the process through to completion. 

The third reason is a lack of courage to implement strategies and use tactics to achieve their ends.  In short, capability, commitment and courage are essential to the tactician.

Before you even contemplate using a tactical approach it is vital that you know understand the next three points:

• Know precisely where you want to go (what you want to achieve).
  
  
•  Know exactly where you are now
  
  
•  Devise a plan that sets out how you will get from where you really are now to a precise destination that is where you want to be

CHECKMATE PRINCIPLE

One of the best examples of tactics is the game of chess.  The object of the game is not to “kill” the opponent’s king but to “manoeuvre” it into a position where it has no options remaining.  It can not move and is therefore now rendered useless.  Tactics use the same principle.

Essentially, the use of tactics is an exercise in out-thinking your opponent. The average person thinks only about action and consequence or put another way - only one move ahead. The Strategist and Chess master thinks between three and ten moves ahead and trains themselves to consider every variation.

“Begin, be bold and venture to be wise.”
Horace (65bc – 8bc)