Comments on: A Narcissist’s Playground: The Harder They Fall

By: alexjmann

alexjmann — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:10:33 +0000

Perhaps my analogy wasn't clear. In a large organization, strategy moves slowly from the top down before the tactics are acted on. This can take months, or sometimes years.

I'd say that in a startup a strategy can be implemented via tactics almost immediately. This is why startups are so agile.

So, while strategy and tactics are different concepts, the "strategy becoming a tactic" description I gave was really in reference to the time span between idea to action.

By: jamtoday

jamtoday — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:02:25 +0000

Is it really correct to say that a strategy can become a tactic? Tactics can be enacted more quickly in a startup, but a tactic is a different type of thing than a strategy.

By: Scott Locklin

Scott Locklin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:38:51 +0000

I guess I am neither echoing you nor challenging you; just pre-coffee preachin' as it were. Anyway, best of luck on your ventures.

By: alexjmann

alexjmann — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:10:33 +0000

By: jamtoday

jamtoday — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:02:25 +0000

Is it really correct to say that a strategy can become a tactic? Tactics can be enacted more quickly in a startup, but a tactic is a different type of thing than a strategy.

By: alexjmann

alexjmann — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:10:33 +0000

By: jamtoday

jamtoday — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:02:25 +0000

Is it really correct to say that a strategy can become a tactic? Tactics can be enacted more quickly in a startup, but a tactic is a different type of thing than a strategy.

By: Scott Locklin

Scott Locklin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:38:51 +0000

I guess I am neither echoing you nor challenging you; just pre-coffee preachin' as it were. Anyway, best of luck on your ventures.

By: alexjmann

alexjmann — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:50:32 +0000

I'm not sure if you are echoing me or challenging me. But, I do agree with most of what you have written, and it falls in line with why I do what it is I do.

In regards to my post, the point I was attempting to hammer in was that an entrepreneurial environment is more sensitive to ego than others, especially because self-proclaimed titles are effortless to throw around. When ego becomes a priority, you will fail.

Besides that, spot on comment.

By: Scott Locklin

Scott Locklin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:22:29 +0000

If you're shooting for big rewards, entrepreneurial ventures are probably as high risk as climbing the corporate status ladder. If you're looking to lead a righteous life, however: entrepreneurial ventures are pretty much the only way to fly. The ability to sleep late is overrated, and generally untrue; you wake up when your customers and investors tell you to. The main thing is the sensation of freedom. You stand or fall on your own merits and luck, and you keep whatever wealth you manage to create. If you have any talent at all, you're capable of creating a rather large amount of wealth in a fairly short period of time, though luck has a lot to do with it as well. I tell people it's like being a cowboy, wandering the wilds of America. If you screw up, the Indians will get you, and you're buzzard food. But the view and sensation of utter freedom makes it worth the risk. If all those 9 sets of entrepreneurs suffer is me making fun of them, they'll be fine.
No matter how great your company or boss may be, make no mistake: you are a slave on a plantation. You can be bought and sold at someone else's pleasure. Most people are descended from serfs, so that's OK by them. Some of us can't live like that.