"Half the issues they - are so polished they're talking about - are dead by the time they get into the office, and into the midst of their tour where they're really productive"

This quote by James Stockdale talks to the idea that lots of people are so concentrated on presenting themselves in a polished manner that they forget to focus on the real concerns at hand. By the time they get to the office and into the midst of their tour, the issues they were so concentrated on have actually already been resolved. This speaks to the concept that many individuals are so focused on providing themselves in a certain manner in which they forget to concentrate on the real work that needs to be done. It likewise speaks with the idea that lots of people are so focused on their own image that they forget to concentrate on the real tasks that need to be finished. This quote is a suggestion to focus on the actual work that requires to be done, instead of stressing over how one appears to others.