Strategic planning is my profession and so I am drawn to study strategy and tactics in all its forms. The biggest questions are:
How do you know you are in a situation that requires a strategic approach? The biggest error is not recognizing that you are in a situation with a big impact until it is too late to take meaningful action.
What information do you pay attention to and what information do you ignore?
How can you make a "solution set" or list of high-probability options?
How do you pick the best option?
How do you execute the best option as quickly as possible?
Some years ago I was reading a database of bear attacks on humans. My goal was to analyze the circumstances, human actions and results. I was looking for the best move in a rapidly escalating high-risk situation. No specific purpose to it, this is just what I do on rainy Saturday afternoons.
It turns out that in half the cases where people made noise the bear left them alone, but in the other half they were mauled. In half the cases where people remained still and quiet the bear left them alone, but in the other half they were mauled. My conclusion was that, when you meet a bear in the woods, the outcome is pretty much up to the bear. It turns out the people involved don't get much of a vote at all.
Raising teenagers is like that. You do your best to love them and bring them up properly, but the minute they get hold of the car keys the next move is up to the bear. I've been very blessed by my children over the years. They have generally chosen well and intentionally, but the choice was theirs not mine.
