Image courtesy of Foreign Policy.
By Major Matt Cavanaugh
Can we educate a strategist in an hour? Some would argue this task is impossible, that it takes a lifetime, or at least 10,000 hours.
But what if we had to? Imagine it were possible – how would you do it? How would you accelerate learning to strategic competency? Note: I define competency as someone that would know, understand, and be able to apply a core set of strategic concepts to analyze and appraise modern war (see also “strategic understanding”).
One scientifically validated path would be the Pareto Principle, which holds, across many systems, that 80% of output comes from 20% of input. How does this help us rapidly educate strategic practitioners? We would first identify the critical 20% knowledge base that produces these outsize gains. We would then leverage this 20% (or “minimum effective dose”) by proving a simple framework for use in any war.
Which is where the “WarCouncil.org 300 Word Strategic Education” comes in.
**Editor’s Note: Update – Version 2 available in link above as of November 26.**
Following the logic above, I’ve created a document that identifies what I consider the 50 most essential strategic concepts and whittled each to six words apiece (hence, 300 words, not including the actual term itself). I’ve also presented Clausewitzian Critical Analysis as simply as possible in the header to present this all-weather framework. Lastly, I included an abbreviated footnotes section for those with further interest (and here’s the draft and outtakes).
My claim is that using the “WarCouncil.org 300 Word Strategic Education,” you could educate a competent strategic practitioner in 60 minutes.
Consider this War Council’s gift to you over this holiday season – enjoy! All I ask in return is that you follow @TheWarCouncil on Twitter! Oh, and please consider following @TheWarCouncil on the blue bird thingy. Lastly, before clicking away to another entertaining post – please click here to support @TheWarCouncil!
Matt,
Attached is similar attempt on my part that I consolidated during BSAP.
http://bit.ly/1vCvFcE
Aaron
Aaron,
Could you please send this attachment. I could not get it to open for me. I would like to take a look at it for use where I teach. Thanks, Bill.
V/R McKean
Bill McKean, LTC, USA (Ret)
Assistant Professor
Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS)
Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC)
National Defense University (NDU)
Norfolk, VA 23511
(757) 443-6292
mckeanw@ndu.edu
Matt,
I think you are no longer at West Point based on some of the stuff I have read on this web site. However, I hope someone else at MWI gets this and can respond to me or forward it to you. I am an Assistant Professor at the Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, and National Defense University in Norfolk, VA. We teach operational planning, but your “WarCouncil.org 300 Word Strategic Education” sounds very interesting.
Works like this are very useful in education of any kind as they help students understand the big picture and main points. This can help students new to the subject and go a long way in getting them started in understanding. This I think could start many students toward further investigation and learning.
Based on this post, if this product is interactive, it could allow the student to further explore different elements with the overall subject quickly and again, get the student started toward a better understanding of the subject overall and the parts in particular.
I clicked on the link, but it said it was not found, so if you or anybody at MWI gets this please e-mail the document to me. Thanks, Bill
V/R McKean
Bill McKean, LTC, USA (Ret)
Assistant Professor
Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JCWS)
Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC)
National Defense University (NDU)
Norfolk, VA 23511
(757) 443-6292
mckeanw@ndu.edu
Good morning!
The link to the 300 word strategic Strategic education doc doesn't seem to be working. Could it be reloaded?
Thank you kindly
Your friendly Canadian Command and Staff College student.
Alex