The Great Hunt - Chapter 40 [#100Days, Day 65]

Bravely Run Away

    Liandrin leads Min, Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve through the Ways to Toman Head.  At the exit, they find themselves surrounded by Seanchan.  In the ensuing fight, Min and Egwene are taken prisoner; while Nynaeve and Elayne manage to escape.

    "... That man hit Min, knocked her down.  And one of those women was trying to put something around Egwene's neck.  I saw that much before I ran.  I don't think they got away, Nynaeve.  I should have done something.  Min cut the hand that was holding me, and Egwene ... I just ran, Nynaeve.  I realized I was free, and I ran.  Mother had better marry Gareth Bryne and have another daughter as soon as she can.  I am not fit to take the throne."
    "Don't be a goose," Nynaeve said sharply.  "Remember, I have a packet of sheepstongue root among my herbs."  Elayne had her head in her hands; the gibe did not even produce a murmur.  "Listen to me, girl.  Did you see me stay to fight twenty or thirty armed men, not to mention the Aes Sedai?  If you had waited, the most likely thing by far is that you would be a prisoner, too.  If they didn't just kill you.  They seemed to be interested in Egwene and me for some reason.  They might not have cared whether you remained alive or not."
Elayne and Nynaeve, The Great Hunt, p. 487

    Sometimes the best option is a tactical retreat.  On the battlefield, this gives Elayne and Nynaeve a chance to live another day and perhaps rescue their friends.  In the boardroom, this can mean backing down from a position to maneuever around to a more advantageous one.  Retreating, or the appearance of retreating, can actually help build coalitions.  If you're always known as the hard-headed, "go angry early"-type, chances are you'll run yourself out of allies.  And find yourself facing a coalition against you.  Building bridges is a series of advances and retreats.  Making concessions makes you reasonable; it means you're listening, actively engaged in hearing concerns with the plan and working together to work around or through them.  In the end, it's not the plan that matters - it's the results.