Standing Orders
General Strategic · Internal
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Steel before straw

Argue their side better than they do.

Before we tell a client their opponent is wrong, we make sure we can articulate why the opponent thinks they're right. Better than they can, ideally. Applies internally too: before disagreeing with a colleague, restate their position in a way they'd endorse. Strategy built against a strawman loses when it meets reality.

  1. 01Before writing any position paper, write the strongest version of the opposing case
  2. 02Before disagreeing with a colleague, restate their view in a way they'd sign off on
  3. 03The test: could someone on the other side read your steelman and say "yes, that's what I think"?
  4. 04If the opposing case is genuinely weak, you should still be able to state its strongest form. If you can't, you haven't done the work