We are no longer at a point of realistic activity in business. Our supposed tools (blackberry, email, phone, fax, e-fax, and internet) have now contributed to a tsunami of information overload. There is less and less time for analysis to transforms minimal data/facts into information let alone knowledge. In War, Clausewitz described a common occurrence in the chaos of battle as the "Fog of War." We are now living the "Fog of Business" wherein managers are being compelled to make materially damaging decisions with little or know capability of ascertaining whether there efforts are nothing less then chaos creating more chaos. On the battlefield, a commander in such an instant might send his troops directly into the line of fire of the opposing enemy's most strategically placed guns. This is becoming more apparent daily as the costs of business war are extolled in the news. Therefore, we might benefit from newer tactics as it is clearly trench warfare with mass waves being sent to just blindly go and face the machine guns bearing down on them. Hard to imagine it really occurred like that but it did.

Michael,

This example couldn't have come at a better time. I'm sending it along to a client whose direct reports are getting ready to head for the window sill:-)

Really, this phenomenon isn't as isolated as one might think.

I'm hoping that the real-life story will be an attention-grabber. . .thanks.

I think you have a great insight with the "urgent patience" concept. The term seems contradictory but it really isn't. Like you say, it's all about the attitude. Very thought provoking!