Beyond Leadership: Balancing Economics, Ethics and Ecology, Revised Edition

The Wonderful World of Virtual Reality

“Red Right, Double Post, Left Cross 10, Swing Right – on TWO” barks the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys in the huddle of a National Football League game against the Washington Redskins. That coded message sends precise instructions to each of the eleven players as to what he should do. The play, which has been designed to exploit the weakness of the Redskins' defensive formation and specific personnel, was diagrammed on paper and “run through” many times in practice.

Good football plays have alternative scenarios built into their designs. The quarterback and pass receivers will have worked out a series of flexible options to be exercised based on the initial moves of the defensive backs. The Redskins might suddenly change formation, causing the Cowboys' quarterback to call an audible in response. Sometimes he will even ask for a “time out” to think when the Life Conditions (consisting of historic times, physical place, problems of existence and social circumstances) are too confusing and seek assistance from his consultants on the sideline. These are called strategic retreats in contemporary corporate lingo; saving your ass in football.

As the players approach the line of scrimmage, they have been taught to visualize exactly what they plan to do when the quarterback yells “hut – HUT.” The team executes the play mentally before it runs the play physically. This model in their minds connects them in a sequence of well thought out, well coordinated ...