Card #90 – ”Do the Unexpected” from the Creative Whack Pack
Available on the iOS App Store and as a physical deck of cards

In 1334, the Duchess of Tyrol laid siege to Hochosterwitz Castle in Austria. She knew that the siege would take some months because the fortress was located on a cliff high above the valley floor.
As time wore on, the defenders became desperate: their last food was an ox and several bags of grain. The Duchess’s situation also was severe: her troops had become unruly, and she had urgent matters elsewhere.
At this point, the castle’s commander had an idea that must have seemed utter folly to his men. He slaughtered the last ox, stuffed it with grain, and then threw the carcass over the cliff onto the meadow in front of the enemy camp.
The Duchess interpreted this scornful message to mean that the defenders had so much food that they could waste it. At this, the discouraged Duchess abandoned her siege and moved on.
Because the commander did the opposite of what the Duchess expected, he made her believe that her siege wasn’t working.
Doing the opposite of what’s expected can also be an effective strategy in competitive situations such as business, sports, and romance. Chances are, you’ll catch the other side off-guard and be more successful in reaching your objective.
— What are the two most unexpected things you can do in your issue?
— What can you do to disguise your concept’s flaws?