Thursday, October 25, 2018

“Much of the writing on the future of war assumes that a really clever enemy, or sometimes the really clever us, is going to find some means by which they get in the first blow that will be decisive. If there’s one recurring theme in my book, it’s that fallacy.”
– Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London –

When you think about your industry, how important is it to get somewhere “first” and how long do those who get there first stay first?

In business, as in war, there is an inherent cognitive bias in favor of “first movers.” The idea is that whoever gets there first – or makes a decisive move – will then hold a competitive / strategic advantage over their opponent(s). Freedman’s view is that this mindset overly values first movers while under-appreciating the value of subsequent moves on the chess board.

Click here to learn more about Sir Freedman’s thoughts on strategic thought and action.