We are living in chaotic times. The current COVID-19 crisis has quickly turned from a health risk to an economically challenging one. Many businesses have been caught unprepared in the storm, and layoffs, furloughs and bankruptcy have followed suit. The only thing that currently seems certain is uncertainty, disruptive change, fleeting opportunities and incomplete information. How can businesses deal with this?

In the past, based on my experiences, I’ve always pointed to the military for examples of leadership and strategy, especially considering the word “strategy” derives from the Greek word “strategos,” which is what Greek generals were called. The entire concept of business strategy derives from military strategy.  Today’s challenges are no different and it is well worth our effort to study military history to understand how to move forward.