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Comment: What it means to be tactical

This edition’s cover story looks at training high performance teams through the lens of improving tactical thinking. I had a think about what it means to be tactical, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized this mindset exists in all of the leaders I admire most. 

Tactical is twofold in its dictionary definition. The term applies to tactics used to accomplish a goal in military action; to maximize the outcome and minimize the risk. This is a very important skill in life-or-death situations, which fire crews also find themselves in. The word also applies to any strategically planned actions that carry out a manoeuvre. Tactical is the opposite of spontaneous, though I have seen many actions that appeared spontaneous and were surely calculated. And sometimes the best acts of spontaneity had tactical foresight for inspiration. In fact, it could be argued some of the worst acts of spontaneity lacked just that.  

I recently finished reading The Pause Principle by Kevin Cashman. The book’s principles are similar to FranklinCovey training that I have also received, and nutshelling it, both purport that there’s a lot of merit to taking a hot minute before you respond. Ret. Fire Chief Matthew Pegg wrote about this concept  in a Leadership Column for Fire Fighting in Canada under the longer-than-a-hot-minute moniker of the 24-Hour Rule. Sometimes you need more than a beat. Jefferson Fisher, a trial lawyer, communications expert, and podcaster, promotes a Pause and Breathing technique, where your “breath is the first word that you say,” as an effective measure to stay in control as you speak when someone says something disagreeable. Unanticipated threat can cause our tactical abilities to go flying out the window — if they are not well practiced. 

There are many communiques on high performance that draw on what amounts to precision thinking, whether accomplished fast or slow. Strategies require methods of staying present while also being reflective and seeing outcomes while simultaneously visualizing the many complex angles of the problem. Highly tactical thinkers are a recognizable breed — they get things done, are adaptable, highly goal-oriented, at their best in chaos, have a knack for foresight and prefer not to muddle about in abstract conversations. The fire service is rich with highly tactical thinkers, and all the better for it. 

The complementary skillset that accompanies tactical thinking, and is much needed for holistic success personally and professionally, is strategic planning. Long range goals and an understanding of far-off potential consequences can be boring for the action-oriented types, but are, as we all know, invaluable to the success of an organization. If you are a highly tactical thinker, it may be a boon to enrich your department with bright strategic planners.