There was no greater war leader and
strategist than Chinese military general Sun Tzu. His philosophy on how to be a great leader and ensure you win in work,
management, and life is summed up in
these 33 pieces of advice. They can all be
applied by you in your job when you go
back to work next week:
1. A leader leads by example, not by
force.
2. You have to believe in yourself.
3. Appear weak when you are strong,
and strong when you are weak.
4. If your enemy is secure at all points,
be prepared for him. If he is in
superior strength, evade him. If your
opponent is temperamental, seek to
irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that
he may grow arrogant. If he is taking
his ease, give him no rest. If his forces
are united, separate them. If sovereign
and subject are in accord, put division
between them. Attack him where he is
unprepared, appear where you are
not expected.
5. The supreme art of war is to subdue
the enemy without fighting.
6. Supreme excellence consists of
breaking the enemy’s resistance
without fighting.
7. If the mind is willing, the flesh could
go on and on without many things.
8. Victorious warriors win first and then
go to war, while defeated warriors go
to war first and then seek to win.
9. To know your Enemy, you must
become your Enemy.
10. Keep your friends close, and your
enemies closer.
11. Can you imagine what I would do if I
could do all I can?
12. Even the finest sword plunged into
salt water will eventually rust.
13. Engage people with what they expect;
it is what they are able to discern and
confirms their projections. It settles
them into predictable patterns of
response, occupying their minds while
you wait for the extraordinary
moment — that which they cannot
anticipate.
14. If you know the enemy and know
yourself, you need not fear the result
of a hundred battles. If you know
yourself but not the enemy, for every
victory gained you will also suffer a
defeat. If you know neither the enemy
nor yourself, you will succumb in
every battle.
15. Thus we may know that there are five
essentials for victory:
1 He will knows when to
fight and when not to fight.
2 He will win knows how to
handle both superior and inferior
forces.
3 He will win whose army is
animated by the same spirit
throughout all its ranks.
4 He will win who, prepared
himself, waits to take the enemy
unprepared.
5 He will win who has military
capacity and is not interfered with
by the sovereign.
16. Be extremely subtle, even to the point
of formlessness. Be extremely
mysterious, even to the point of
soundlessness. Thereby you can be the
director of the opponent’s fate.
17. Strategy without tactics is the slowest
route to victory. Tactics without
strategy is the noise before defeat.
18. There are not more than five musical
notes, yet the combinations of these
five give rise to more melodies than
can ever be heard. There are not more
than five primary colors, yet in
combination they produce more hues
than can ever been seen. There are not
more than five cardinal tastes, yet
combinations of them yield more
flavors than can ever be tasted.
19. Opportunities multiply as they are
seized.
20. When the enemy is relaxed, make
them toil. When full, starve them.
When settled, make them move.
21. Know yourself and you will win all
battles.
22. Move swift as the Wind and closely-
formed as the Wood. Attack like the
Fire and be still as the Mountain.
23. Let your plans be dark and
impenetrable as night, and when you
move, fall like a thunderbolt.
24. When strong, avoid them. If of high
morale, depress them. Seem humble to
fill them with conceit. If at ease,
exhaust them. If united, separate
them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge
to their surprise.
25. All warfare is based on deception.
Hence, when able to attack, we must
seem unable; when using our forces,
we must seem inactive; when we are
near, we must make the enemy believe
we are far away; when far away, we
must make him believe we are near.
26. There is no instance of a country
having benefited from prolonged
warfare.
27. The greatest victory is that which
requires no battle.
28. Treat your men as you would your
own beloved sons. And they will
follow you into the deepest valley.
29. Build your opponent a golden bridge
to retreat across.
30. All warfare is based on deception.
31. When you surround an army, leave
an outlet free. Do not press a
desperate foe too hard.
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