What is a Sextant?
A sextant is a navigational instrument used to measure the angle of elevation of celestial bodies, usually the sun or moon, in order to determine one’s location and direction. More generally, a sextant can be used to measure the angle between any two objects. The sextant was first developed around 1730 and soon after began to replace the astrolabe as the navigational instrument of choice. The sextant is still in use today, primarily in nautical contexts, as it is a good backup if more sophisticated systems, such as global positioning, fail. Sir Isaac Newton was the first to conceive of the doubly reflecting navigational instrument, which would later become the sextant, but the instrument would not come into production until after his death. English mathematician John Hadley and American inventor Thomas Godfrey independently developed the sextant around the same time. The instrument is called a sextant because it spans 60°, or one sixth of a circle. There are similar navigational instru
The sextant was developed around 1767 as a measuring instrument used by mariners to measure the angle of elevation of a celestial object above the horizon. Making this measurement is known as sighting the object or taking a sight. A sextant’s view merges views of the sky and the horizon. The angle and the time when it was measured are used to calculate a position line on a nautical or an aeronautical chart. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sextant) For the modern day leader, navigating in the changing global competitive marketplace, the sextant looks a lot different metrics,productivity portfolios, process intensification, competency profiling, superb communication skills, and transformational leadership allow for sighting and measurement and re-vectoring course. This means calibrating and deploying strategy and supporting tactics to meet the needs and expectations of customers, suppliers, partners, and the enterprise itself. But, it assumes a philosophical predisposition to success, qual
