Filed under: Comment
I am often asked to explain what strategy is.
At it’s heart, it’s simply identifying the most effective route to get from point A to point B.
That’s it.
Of course, how you identify that route has many challenges and complications, but as a function, it’s that simple.
Recently I came across an SMS exchange that highlights just what good strategy is.
Of course, no one who comes here [1] needs an explanation [2] cares about an explanation or [3] gives a rats arse what I think/say … however I’m going to ignore all that because basically, I just wrote this post so I could justify re-printing it for your viewing errrrm, pleasure.
So, here’s the brief:
________________________________________________________________________
Your parents are awaiting news on your biology exam results.
They have already told you they regard this as a ‘must pass’ exam and that the implications, should you fail, will be severe and immediate.
Now the bad news.
You failed.
You failed big time.
Knowing you have to truthfully inform your parents about the result within a matter of hours, how can you ensure they will view the news with a positive attitude rather than grounding you for 35 years?
________________________________________________________________________
Got it?
So how would you answer the brief?
Wonder if it would be as strategically effective as this?
32 Comments so far
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That just about sums it up. What are the APG going to do now?
Comment by George May 21, 2012 @ 6:19 amwith a bit of fucking luck, kill themselves.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:34 amThat’s a tactic.
Comment by John May 21, 2012 @ 6:25 amWho the fuck cares, it’s better than every other planners attempt to be smart.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 21, 2012 @ 6:27 amThat ultimately depends on whether the parents “positive” reaction to the exam failure is short lived or not. As it stands, I would say that is a strategy.
Comment by George May 21, 2012 @ 6:29 amI apologise. I’ve just caught myself arguing about the strategic value of an SMS. It’s things like this that give planners a bad name. I will slowly retreat from the room.
Comment by George May 21, 2012 @ 6:31 amfucking aunties waded in with a good fucking point. what a fucking shame no one gives a flying fuck about any of it.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:36 amand so you fucking should george. you know you shouldnt touch a computer when mary and the kids are away. theyre the ones that stop you damaging yourself with spouting planning wank.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:37 amsmartarse fucking dodds. youre fucking right though. thick bastard campbell.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:35 amFair point John – if the reaction from his Dad lasts a nano-second, but as neither of us know the reality, I’ve decided to base it on it being a long lasting strategy if that’s OK with you, ha!
Comment by Rob May 21, 2012 @ 7:29 amAnal Planners Gland?
Like the SMS, why can’t all planners be so clever?
Comment by Billy Whizz May 21, 2012 @ 6:25 amIt only guarantees a positive attitude in the very short-term.
Comment by John May 21, 2012 @ 6:27 amThat’s an assumption.
Comment by George May 21, 2012 @ 6:29 amauntie has just out pedanticed doddsy. its like a fucking heavyweight world title except its nothing like a fucking heavyweight title.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:38 amFight. Fight. Fight.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 21, 2012 @ 6:32 amit would be like watching my little pony scrapping with a cabbage patch doll. dont waste your efforts billy.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:39 amWho is the cabbage? Boom Tish.
Comment by Rob May 21, 2012 @ 7:32 amI think John & George have forgotten this is Rob’s blog. A place where no one is supposed to take any notice of the posts.
Comment by DH May 21, 2012 @ 6:46 amYep. Even I don’t pay any attention to it.
Comment by Rob May 21, 2012 @ 7:31 amAnd I wish I’d thought of that trick/tactic/strategy when I failed my biology exam.
Comment by DH May 21, 2012 @ 6:47 amyour mean you wish they had fucking sms when you failed your biology exam.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 6:49 amThat as well.
Comment by DH May 21, 2012 @ 6:53 amWhen I failed my maths exam, my Mum knew and I hadn’t even told her I’d taken the exam. Parents can be kind of freaky like that.
Comment by Rob May 21, 2012 @ 7:31 amits not hard when everyone knows you fail everyfuckingthing. except ripping me off.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 8:08 ami know somoen who, to this day, has succesfully conned her parents into believing she got a 2.1 rather than the 2.2 she actually got.
Comment by northern May 21, 2012 @ 5:22 pmThe temptation of blackmail must be enormous!!!
Comment by Rob May 21, 2012 @ 5:32 pmYou don’t know what she’s got on me- and hopefully you never will
Comment by northern May 21, 2012 @ 5:50 pmNotwithstanding DH’s undeniable point that nobody cares, I’ll just say that before the tactic was employed, the parents had a daughter who wasn’t pregnant and had not taken a very important exam. After the tactic, the parents are briefly distracted form the fact that their daughter is still not pregnant but has failed an allegedly life-changing exam.
I’m assuming the latter fact will dawn on them pretty quickly and the tactic will have done little to change their worldview on the exam because it didn’t address that issue. A strategy would arguably have focussed on highlighting a posiitve life outcome for someone who had failed the exam.
Comment by John May 21, 2012 @ 6:23 pmjust for being a cheeky bastard, im officially on your side doddsy. but then when am i not. at least when dealing with that fucker campbell.
Comment by andy@cynic May 21, 2012 @ 10:49 pmYou’re renowned for always being on the side of right.
Comment by John May 22, 2012 @ 12:14 amThat’s because he decides what is right.
Comment by DH May 22, 2012 @ 1:02 amBrilliant!
Comment by hidden persuader May 23, 2012 @ 10:25 pmInformation “Framing” is everything. If a newspaper states that 10% of the working population didn’t pay taxes, you think “outrageous”. But if you write down that “90% of the population pays taxes” (which is the same info.) you say “we’re a great country.