I created this Haiku Deck for the students in my Tao of Strategy class at TCU. "The Strongest Rope" is a framework for strategic action that I have developed over the years, through my teaching, research, and outreach efforts. This particular deck is an introduction to a set of ten decks:

1. Introduction
2. Overview
3. How Things Work
4. Less Is More
5. Know Yourself
6. Know the Situation
7. Solve for Pattern
8. Embrace Paradox
9. Command w/ Character
10. Reflection

The yellow rope in the photo is advertised as "the world's strongest rope for its weight" (www.cortlandcompany.com/plasma). A rope is a good analogy for a strategy, since both are tools, and both should be strong, effective, and flexible.

The idea for the rope analogy came from a video on Sun Tzu's "Art of War," produced by the History Channel. One of the strategy experts appearing in the video is Mark McNeilly (http://www.suntzustrategies.com/about/mark), who compares Sun Tzu's (Sunzi's) strategy to a rope. The basic idea, as stated in this slide, is that when a set of strands are woven together, the resulting rope is stronger than the individual strands that make it up. This is a good example of synergy.

This slide simply states the fact that a stronger set of strands will yield a stronger rope (or strategy). The seven strands (principles) appearing in "The Strongest Rope" have been chosen with care, and reflect what I believe to be the most important components of effective strategy.

The strands chosen for the rope, or the principles chosen for the strategy, must complement one another, in order for the rope (or strategy) to be strong. In Laozi's Daodejing, there is an important concept, he, which is often translated as "harmony." According to the daoist classics (Laozi Daodejing, Sunzi Bingfa, Zhuangzi), the goal is to "get the most out of your ingredients," by blending them in a harmonious fashion. Chinese food is a good example, for the good cook prepares each dish in such a way that the flavors of the individual ingredients are preserved, but the blend of flavors is harmonious. So it is with the strands of our rope, they must be harmonious (he) in order for the rope to be strong, flexible, and effective.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12

Here are the seven strands of "The Strongest Rope." In the following slides, I will first say a few things about their nature and origin. In the next Haiku Deck, I will provide an overview of each strategic principle. And there will be a Haiku Deck devoted to each strand (principle), which will go into a bit more detail. I am also working on a book on "The Strongest Rope," which hopefully will be finished before too long. Check back with me in a year or so to see how I am progressing!

Here I have overlaid the strategic principles with different branches of philosophy. This overlay may make some philosophers cringe, but I think it is useful. The first two principles, How Things Work and Less Is More, have to do with the nature of living systems, including social systems. Ontology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of reality. The second two principles, Know Yourself and Know the Situation, pertain to your knowledge and awareness. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with the origins of knowledge. The final three principles, Solve for Pattern, Embrace Paradox, Command with Character, have to do with strategic action. Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with ethical action. Simply put, "The Strongest Rope" suggests that ontology is the foundation for epistemology, and both are foundations for ethical action.

At this point you might be asking yourself, "Where did this guy get these principles?" "Why these seven principles, and not some others?" In the next slide I answer these questions, albeit briefly.

The Daoist classics (Laozi, Sunzi, Zhuangzi) are the primary sources for the strategic principles found in the Strongest Rope, but there are other sources as well. Most of these come from the cognitive sciences and the complexity sciences (for more information, search for "Cognitive Science" and "Complex Systems" in the Wikipedia). My sources are not only scientific, but also applied, emphasizing strategy and command in psychotherapy, the military, and in business.

The next slide deck will give an overview of the Strongest Rope, providing a brief introduction to each of the seven principles.

Cheers