Avoiding tactical gains, strategic loss

The world is pitched on tactical gains in a big way. Be it in business or military affairs we see the trend that authorities show predilection towards the easy way of getting positive results that are temporary and in most cases transient. Enter strategy and all their actions are put to smithereens.

Tactics are specific actions or steps one undertakes to accomplish his strategy. That being said tactics is a combination of five specifics i.e. fireworks, mobility, security cover, shock therapy and surprise assembled in a platform and delivered in a co-ordinated fashion. If one of the elements fail then tactics as a whole end up giving perhaps tactical gains but leaving a gape in overall strategy.

For the purposes of propaganda, newsworthiness and being seen in the limelight, tactics appear to be savvy indeed. Yet in the final analysis lack of an effective and workable strategy leads to unexpected disaster. Sun Tzu summarises it well thus: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat”.

Even then most of the time business warfare as well as military warfare tend to focus on short term gains leaving long term result to happen on its own progression. This is truly a faulty assumption. When all these tactical short term gains are added up without achieving strategic ends then the whole affair is an utter failure. Maurice de Talleyrand’s famous quote: “The Bourbons learned nothing, and have forgotten nothing” comes to my mind.

But there is blessing in disguise for sure. If a firm or military operationalizes gainful tactics and at the same time respective opponent has been blinded to see the real strategy behind these tactics then there is a chance of success if there is going to be one. Once again Sun Tzu clarifies: “All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved”.

Yet caveat is, either a business firm or a national military needs to take a long-term view primarily while pedalling on the short-term steps so that the long terms ends are achieved.

For that to happen business strategy and/or military strategy should be able to relate and reflect on the tactical gains as Sun Tzu mandates: “He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven sent commander”.

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist