by Richard Martin
- Velocity: Action is a vector. You can get to your objectives earlier by combining the right direction of movement with fast speed of execution.
- Decisiveness: Don’t wait for perfection; move when you can act and generate results that contribute to your aim.
- Opportunism: Accelerate execution and results by exploiting favourable events and conditions.
- Momentum: Consider changes carefully, as it takes time and energy to change direction and speed.
- Preparation, planning, and logistics: Use time judiciously (or make it) to prepare for action; consider all relevant factors, conditions, scenarios, and risks; develop courses of action to achieve your aim and select the optimal one for detailed planning; balance resources and priorities accordingly.
- Initiative and creativity: Tell your people what outcomes they are responsible for, and let them find the optimal ways to achieve them; give them the requisite authority and resources in line with their needs and overall priorities; make them accountable for their actions and results.
- Security: Protect your flanks and lines of communication through 360-degree situational awareness; validate your assumptions.
- Surprise: Don’t advertise your intentions, unless you can be almost certain of the results beforehand.
- Depth: Act in waves and phases; don’t put all your eggs into one basket; reinforce success and stop doing what isn’t working; don’t expect success on the first try, but be ready for it nonetheless.
- Reserves: Always keep forces and resources in reserve, because you can never foresee everything beforehand.
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