Chapter 217
When Perfect Plans Meet Reality
On the twenty-fifth of August, so his historians tell us, Napoleon spent the whole day on horseback inspecting the locality, considering plans submitted to him by his marshals, and personally giving commands to his generals. The original line of the Russian forces along the river Kolochá had been dislocated by the capture of the Shevárdino Redoubt on the twenty-fourth, and part of the line—the left flank—had been drawn back. That part of the line was not entrenched and in front of it the ground was more open and level than elsewhere. It was evident to anyone, military or not, that…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Own Ivory Tower
Think of an area where you make decisions for others - parenting, managing, teaching, or even planning family activities. List three assumptions you make about what the people affected actually need or want. Then identify when you last directly experienced what they're going through. This exercise reveals where your own 'distance from the battlefield' might be creating blind spots.
Consider:
- •Consider how your position or role might filter the information you receive
- •Think about whether people feel safe giving you honest feedback about your decisions
- •Reflect on the difference between what you think works and what actually works for those affected
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you discovered your plan or assumption was completely wrong because you were too far removed from the situation. What did you learn about staying connected to ground-level reality?
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