

Warfighting: What VCs tell you to read - organicgrant
http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/service_pubs/mcdp1.pdf

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suthakamal
Lots of great insight on building teams, getting everyone to have a shared
understanding/training/framework. Commanders intent and mission goals are
useful thoughts on delegating / focusing a team, etc. Thoughts on using tempo,
strategy and "maneuver" warfare are incredibly relevant to resource-
constrained startups.

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organicgrant
Teambuilding and strategy are highly practiced arts in the military. In my
opinion, it's why officers who leave the military make good business
strategists and leaders.

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philwelch
The observation that junior officers are closer to the situation and better
equipped to make immediate tactical decisions than senior officers who are at
the rear can, almost word-for-word, be used to describe how to manage
programmers.

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lionhearted
If you enjoy USMC's Warfighting, you've got to go read Clauswitz's "On War" -
it established modern military science. It's the most clear thinking,
straightforward work on a difficult topic I've read. Seriously, read the first
20 pages of On War and you'll think more clearly for the rest of your life.
I'm not exaggerating, it's that good. Everyone in their life should skim Adam
Smith's Wealth of Nations and read the first 20 pages of On War:

<http://www.clausewitz.com/readings/OnWar1873/TOC.htm>

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nickpinkston
I have to say that, while Clauswitz is certainly down-to-earth, pragmatic, and
has much merit, the book is not for the faint of heart of. I don't think
straightforward is a word I'd use with his work that was compiled posthumously
from his incomplete manuscripts.

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Ras_
Clausewitz might be practical compared to Sun Tzu, but his assertion that the
enemy’s center of gravity (strongest point) is the point which all energies
should be directed sounds stupid. He is also too intent on single deciding
battles.

Sun Tzu's use of deceit, spying and diplomacy - avoiding the battle altogether
- is a more flexible approach. But it's impossible to believe that you could
predict the outcomes of major scale events in such a precision that he
teaches.

You should also read about John Boyd, a master hacker in his own right:

Little-known pilot shaped U.S. strategy in Iraq: <http://www.post-
gazette.com/nation/20030321boydnatp5.asp>

From fighter Tactics to the Art of War: <http://www.sci.fi/~fta/JohnBoyd.htm>

