To put this into practice, follow a simple loop: first, name the obstacle precisely—what, where, and under what conditions. Second, extract constraints into rules (time, capacity, thresholds). Third, locate leverage: where does a small change reroute the flow—through timing, tools, or alliances. Finally, run a limited probe, then codify what worked into a playbook. Sun Tzu calls this method and discipline (The Art of War, ch. 1): make the ground speak, and let your next move answer it. [...]
