Businesses that fail to synchronize their plans with supply chain realities are doomed, just are organizations that stick rigidly to plans without adjusting to changing market conditions are set on a course for disaster. Conversely, teams that are cohesive, aligned, and agile will outperform the competition every time, especially in a volatile and ambiguous operating environment. A pivotal event in Northwest Arkansas in March 1862, remembered ever since as the Battle of Pea Ridge, starkly demonstrates these core business principles.
During this engagement, Union forces under the command of a seasoned, even elderly commander, Gen. Samuel L. Curtis, fought to secure Missouri and expand federal control into Southwest Arkansas. The Confederate commander, Gen. Earl Van Dorn, had the dual advantage of fighting on home ground and with superior numbers. Yet, as is often the case in business, the leader of one organization knew his team and its capabilities, while his opponent had a plan divorced from the reality on the ground. Battlefield Leadership draws on the lessons of Pea Ridge to help leaders improve business performance and team effectiveness at every level.
