“Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do.” – Garry Kasparov I try to play a game of chess daily – on my iPad, usually at the 1785 ELO level. Which means, I usually lose. I am great at the playing-my-kids-at-home level, though. I digress. I am a huge fan of chess as a critical thinking trainer. The link below leads to a great article that really captures the value of Chess as a metaphor – focusing on Oil (Rockefeller specifically) and the film industry. Seizing the middle is a chess strategy embodying the value of forward thinking. In a business context “seizing the middle” simply means taking control of the resources a company depends on and the author concludes Rockefeller and the studio system in Hollywood employed this strategy successfully. business strategy chess
Thought Leadership
Seizing the Middle: Chess Strategy as a Business Playbook
Kasparov's distinction between tactics and strategy, and how 'seizing the middle' wins in business.