The Wrong Read on Strategy And Winning the Competition [video]

The main comment on this video has “the best strategy wins”, but watching it many times, I am unable to see any strategic thing the man did differently. That he began at the “middle” when the lady started from the “tail” does not provide any leverage on this assignment. Do you see any special tactic or even strategic playbook here?

At my personal level, I do posit that the man won because he is slightly taller which means he covered more grounds faster than the woman. Also, he ran more times than the lady. And unlike the lady, he did not waste time aligning the bricks well.

What do you see?

(Lesson: we must NOT just throw out the phrase “best strategy” because the outcome is a WIN even when there is really nothing superior in what we have done, but are possibly benefitting from exogenous environmental factors, and not what we have done endogenously in our business. Doing that will be a false read operations that can backfire, when using that wrong thesis to expand operations only for the exogenous factors to change, leading to failures)

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Comment: I believe starting from behind (or the “middle” as you described) could actually hold strategic merit, though it may not seem obvious at first. Here’s my perspective:

By starting at the middle rather than the “tail,” the man might have been optimizing for efficiency in DISTANCE MANAGEMENT. Starting at the middle allows for shorter, more balanced trips back and forth between the available resources and the objective point. This minimizes the time and energy required to complete the task compared to starting at the very end, where longer trips are unavoidable at the start. While this approach might seem incidental, it could reflect a subconscious understanding of energy conservation a critical factor in high-paced tasks.

What I see strategically here:

Energy Distribution: Beginning at the middle could be a way to ensure consistent pacing and reduce burnout early on. By the time the man moves to the “tail,” he has already established momentum and possibly has more energy than the woman, who started further back and may have expended more effort upfront.

Visibility & Orientation: Starting at the middle could also provide a better vantage point for planning next moves. The middle position might offer better orientation to the layout of the bricks, allowing for quicker decisions.

Psychological Advantage: While subtle, starting closer to the goal might provide a mental boost. Seeing visible progress early on can encourage faster movement compared to starting from the farthest end, where progress initially feels slower.

Your insight about exogenous factors is spot on. However, it’s worth considering that even when outcomes are heavily influenced by external factors like height or speed, small decisions like where to start could still demonstrate functional strategy, even if not consciously developed.

Business takeaway: In operations, even seemingly minor adjustments in how resources or actions are positioned can create cumulative advantages. Testing multiple approach

My Response: Do you have any empirical reason to support the thesis that starting from the middle offers any advantage. In other words, if they switch starting sequences, do you think the lady will win, keeping pace and other things constant?

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