Leadership Competency #1

Thinking in Essentials - 7/8

NOTE: This module draws from my earlier work under Black Market Leadership. The ideas here predate Chaos Studies in Leadership and form the foundation that made this work possible.

This video revisits the Battle of Gaugamela to reinforce how thinking in essentials works under extreme pressure. Surrounded by overwhelming perceptual noise—enemy numbers, terrain, chaos—Alexander avoided paralysis by identifying what truly mattered: the enemy king. By reducing complexity to a few decisive actions and keeping the plan simple, his army was able to execute reliably and achieve a decisive victory.

The lesson for leaders is clear: success in uncertainty depends on conceptual thinking, focus, and simplicity. Essentials are not a stylistic preference—they are a biological necessity that enables people to stay aligned, decisive, and effective when friction and the fog of war set in.