By Design - October 2022

FEATURE SUCCESS IS A PLANNED RESULT

H

—continued from previous page

How did he do it? Was it through battle and bloodshed? No. Instead, he led the enemy to believe that they had his ships and men cornered at the entrance of the Dardanelles. There he waited patiently for four days until the enemy became sure of themselves, thinking that his silence signified weakness and inability to fight. On the fifth day, when they sent most of their crew ashore to get food, Admiral Lysander made his move. He sailed out and captured almost the entire fleet of 180 ships without a single blow. TWO THINGS HELPED HIM SECURE SUCH SWIFTAND DECISIVE VICTORY One, he had a vision; and two, he had a crucial alliance. Lysander's vision for Sparta differed in that he didn’t want to just win battles, he wanted to overthrow the Athenian Empire.

While the other Spartans were caught up in a never-ending cycle of fighting, treaty-making, and rotating through admirals and leaders, Lysander went after the total and final victory.

of Persia, Cyrus, under King Darius II. Believing he could help him become king, Cyrus put all his means at the disposal of Lysander and later gave him the revenues from all of his cities of Asia Minor. Practice owners and entrepreneurs can be like those ancient Greeks. They have no definite plan for victory. So, they just go along never quite winning, never quite losing in business. They are content to “fight” small battles, jumping from one marketing or growth tactic to another, making temporary or incremental progress.

"IN ALL FIGHTING THE DIRECT METHOD MAY BE USED FOR JOINING BATTLE, BUT INDIRECT METHODS WILL BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO SECURE VICTORY.” Sun Tzu, The Art of War (500 B.C.)

INDIRECTMETHODS

Lysander bypassed direct, predictable methods with strategic, indirect methods that required persistence, patience, and vision.

Besides being a savvy military strategist, Lysander was also a shrewd diplomat. He cultivated a personal relationship and gained the support of the prince

New York Business Law Attorney and Zine client, Francine Love, understands the value of relationships and alliances. Her newsletter is rich with personal stories and professional content that cultivates her vision for her practice with every issue.

6 The Results-Driven Life by Design