Sun Tzu’s Art of War
For The 21st Century
Stanley F. Bronstein
Copyright 2011
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Introduction
Who Was Sun Tzu?
Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general and strategist who is believed to have lived approximately 2500 years ago.
Exact dates are unknown. In fact, it’s not even known whether or not Sun Tzu was even a real person.
The Art of War is a military treatise that dates back to the Chinese Warring States Period, which was roughly 476 to 221 BC.
Whether or not Sun Tzu was a real person is unimportant.
Whether or not Sun Tzu was the sole author of The Art of War is equally unimportant.
What is important are the lesson we can learn from the text.
They are as applicable to modern warfare and modern business as they were to ancient Chinese military conflicts.
The Art of War was divided into 13 chapters. Consequently, this book’s chapter will also mirror the original 13 from the text.
Sit back, relax and learn about The Art of War.
Chapter 1
Appraisals
Appraisal – The act of estimating or judging the nature or value of something or someone.
Tao – That in virtue of which all things happen or exist. The rational basis of human activity or conduct.
Why Are Appraisals Important?
Sun Tzu believed in the need for examination. While we must realize The Art of War was written in a military context; it applies equally well to most other aspects of life.
He believed the military was a matter of life and death, consequently it required examination. In my opinion, the same can be said of ALL parts of our lives.
The military is a great matter of the state. It is the ground of life and death. The Tao of survival or extinction. One cannot but examine it.
The reason appraisals are important is that they form the basis of all life and death; the basis of our survival or extinction. If we do not have a realistic appraisal of the situation, how can we act appropriately?
What Aspects Should One Examine?
And so base it in the five. Compare by means of the appraisals. Thus seek out its nature.
The first is Tao, the second is heaven, the third is earth, the fourth is the general and the fifth is method.
Tao is what causes the people to have the same purpose as their superior. Thus they can die with him, live with him and not deceive him.
Heaven is yin and yang, cold and hot, the order of the seasons. Going with it; going against it – this is military victory.
Earth is high and low, broad and narrow, far and near, steep and level, death and life.
The general is knowledge, trustworthiness, courage and strictness.
Method is ordering divisions, the Tao of ranking and principal supply.
As for all these five – No general has not heard of them. Knowing them, one is victorious. Not knowing them, one is not victorious.
So we are left with 5 aspects to examine; all of which will be examined in much greater detail throughout this ongoing analysis of The Art of War.
Tao
Ask yourself, do the people in your life work with you or against you? If they work with you; if they share your goals; then the Tao is with you. If they work against you; or are too busy worrying about themselves to worry about your goals; then that is a weakness of which you must deal.
Remember. Knowledge of a strength is the first step toward harnessing it for your advantage. Knowledge of a weakness is the first step toward correcting that weakness.
Ask yourself these 7 questions:
Which ruler has Tao? (which leader has followers who would follow them no matter what);
Which general has ability? (what leader knows how to get things done);
Which attains heaven and earth? (which leader has a purpose that will best resolve all the issues of yin, yang; cold, hot; going with the flow, going against the flow; high, low; broad, narrow; far, near; steep, level; death and life);
Which general/leader best implements method and order? (which leader is the best organized; are they scattered, or are they focused?)
Whose military and multitudes are strong? (who has the strongest forces behind them);
Whose officers and soldiers are trained? (who has the strongest support staff? Since the general cannot do everything all the time, it is essential that they have highly trained people, AT ALL LEVELS, to support their cause);
Whose rewards and punishments are clear? (do the subordinates in the system know, FOR CERTAIN, that they will share in the successes of the leader AND that they will also share in that leader’s failures. If we share the good, people will also be willing to share the bad..
Who Will Prevail In Battle?
Sun Tzu theorizes that IF we answer all 7 questions above truthfully, we WILL know who will prevail in any contest.
A HEALTHY EXERCISE – Just for practice, consider that this is a United States presidential election year. Try asking and answering those 7 questions and predict for yourself who will win the United States presidential election. I have my own thoughts, BUT since we attempt to stay out of politics, I will refrain my expressing them. This is not a question of who is right or who is wrong, but in sharing knowledge and learning to become better skilled and more knowledgeable.
What Do Leaders Do When Presented With An Honest, Independent Appraisal?
A wise general heeds these outside appraisals and listens to them. Such a leader is more likely to prevail in battle. Keep such a general / leader.
An unwise general will NOT heed these outside appraisals and will dispute them. Such a leader is more likely to lose in battle. Get ride of such a general / leader.
The Power of Confusion / Deception
Thus when able; manifest inability.
When active; manifest inactivity.
When near; manifest as far.
When far; manifest as near.
When a leader seeks advantage; lure them in.
When they are in chaos, take them.
When they are organized; avoid them and prepare against them.
When they are strong; avoid them.
Attack where your opponent is unprepared.
Emerge where they are not expecting it.
Add Everything Up And You Will Determine The Winner, IN ADVANCE
Sun Tzu believed that if you evaluated and appraised everything IN ADVANCE, it would be very apparent who would prevail in battle.
It’s simple:
Evaluate everything;
Write up the score sheet;
The one who has the higher score is going to win.
Chapter 2
Doing Battle
A Quote From Sun Tzu
With one thousand fast chariots, one thousand leather-covered chariots and one hundred thousand armored troops to be provisioned over 1000 li — then expenses of outer and inner, stipends of foreign advisers, materials for glue and lacquer, and contributions for chariots and armor are one thousand gold pieces a day.
Only AFTER this are one hundred thousand soldiers raised.
What Does This Complex Quote Mean?
It means that if you are going to need 100,000 soldiers in order to do battle, you can’t raise them without first taking the necessary preparatory steps, such as gathering chariots, advisers, materials and money.
In short, doing battle requires preparation. If you are going to be successful in battle, YOU MUST FIRST POSITION YOURSELF TO BE READY.
Strength, Victory and Speed
When one employs battle – if victory takes long, it blunts the military and grinds down its sharpness. Attacking walled cities, one’s strength is diminished. If soldiers are long in the field, the state’s resources are insufficient.
If you’re going to do battle, it is best if you can make the battle quick and get it over with. If the battle rages on for too long a period of time (just take a look at the Vietnam War or the Iraq War), the military is blunted and it grinds it down. The military loses its strength.
If you attack something that is well defended, such as a walled city, it is going to diminish your strength.
If your resources are left out in the field for too long, you will find that your resources dwindle and they will prove to be insufficient.
In other words, whenever possible BE PREPARED and STRIKE QUICKLY and EFFICIENTLY. DON’T WASTE TIME.
Applying Slow Down Tactics To Prevail Over Your Opponent
Now if one blunts the military, grinds down its sharpness, Diminishes its strength and exhausts its goods, then the feudal lords ride one’s distress and rise up. Even one who is wise cannot make good the aftermath.
Here, Sun Tzu suggests that if you want to defeat an opponent, you should apply slow down tactics. Draw things out. Force your enemy to exhaust their resources. If you do that, the people around them will rise up in outrage and no leader will be able to prevail in such a situation, no matter how wise they are.
Just take a look at the Vietnam War for example. The primary tactic of the North Vietnamese was to dig in and simply force their enemy (the Americans and South Vietnamese) to deplete their resources. This tactic ultimately proved to have brought them much success.
Applying These Ideas To Real Life
Just because Sun Tzu and The Art of War puts things in a military context, it does not mean they won’t apply equally as well in real life situations.
Think about the business world. Sometimes the battle goes to the swiftest. Other times, it goes to the one who simply holds on the longest and waits for all their enemies / opponents to drop away.
Even babies know this. A small child knows that if they keep crying and keep whining long enough, many parents will be worn down and give in to the demands of the child.
What’s amazing to me is that while small children instinctively know this, why is it that so many adults don’t?
Another Quote From Sun Tzu
Thus in the military, one has heard of foolish speed, but has not observed skillful prolonging. And there has never been a military prolonging that has brought advantage to the state.
What Does This Quote Mean?
Skillful – Having or possessing knowledge and aptitude. An expert. One who does it better than others.
Prolonging – To lengthen in duration; to protract. To lengthen in extent. To make something last longer. To continue; to extend. To draw things out in order to gain time.
It means that if you cannot beat someone in a face to face battle, simply draw things out. They may eventually grow tired and you will win because you lasted longer than they did.
Think about your life.
Think about your business.
Think about virtually anything.
Do you feel as if you are constantly doing battle against some adversary? Are prices too high, so you’re doing battle with the grocery store? Are gas prices too high, so you’re doing battle with the gas station and the gas companies? Is your boss paying you too little, so you’re doing battle with your boss?
There are countless ways this concept can be applied.
The point is this. The one who hangs on the longest, frequently wins the game.
Another Quote and Another Point To Be Discussed
And so one who does not thoroughly know the HARM from employing the military cannot thoroughly know the ADVANTAGE from employing the military.
What Does This Quote Mean?
It means that unless you can understand ALL sides to a problem, you do not totally understand the problem.
Until such time as you know what BAD things can happen as a result of your actions, how can you possibly under the good that can happen?
Leaving all religious affiliations aside, I’ve often heard it said, how can God (or the universe or whatever diety you have faith in), allow bad things to happen to good people?
While I don’t like it any more than you, I believe that bad things happen to good people so that everyone can learn to appreciate the good even more than we already do.
Until we know ALL sides of a situation, we cannot possibly COMPLETELY understand any one side of the situation.
One skilled at employing the military, does not have a second registering of conscripts nor a third loading of grain. One takes equipment from the state and relies on grain from the enemy. Thus the army’s food can be made sufficient.
What Does This Mean?
Once again, it means that a wise leader; a wise general plans ahead. They get everything together that they are going to need IN ADVANCE. If you need soldiers (resources); if you need equipment, get all you are going to need UP FRONT.
The best example of this that I have is a typical real estate deal that I help clients put together. EVERY single one of the deals gives my client the “ability” to ask for more money from the investors, BUT, BUT, BUT, we always try to do our best to make sure we get everything we are going to need UP FRONT. Obtaining resources UP FRONT is hard enough, it’s even harder to get them later on in the game.
Taking Resources From Your Opponent (the enemy)
A state’s impoverishment from its soldiers – When they are distant, there is distant transport. When they are distant and there is distant transport, the hundred clans are impoverished. When wealth is exhausted, people are hard pressed by local taxes. Diminished strength in the heartland. Emptiness in the households.
Thus the wise general looks to the enemy for food. One bushel of enemy food equals twenty bushels of mine. One bale of fodder equals twenty bales of mine.
SO, killing the enemy is a matter of wrath. Taking the enemy’s goods, IS A MATTER OF ADVANTAGE.
Wrath – Vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
Advantage – A position of superiority. To prove beneficial to. To cause to advance; further; promote. Any state, circumstance, opportunity, or means specially favorable to success, interest or any desired end.
What Does This Mean?
It means that when you are going into battle; ANY KIND OF BATTLE; the more you can drain the enemies resources in order to meet you needs; the better.
Every time you get what you need from the enemy, you drain them, AND SAVE YOUR RESOURCES.
AND, if you are not operating on your “home” front, you have really saved yourself quite a bit, as you didn’t need to go through the trouble of transferring the resources.
A GOOD EXAMPLE – Back to my large real estate deals. Hypothetical: My client is the buyer. Seller wants to sell the property, but there are problems with the property. Who resolves those problems??? Since I represent the Buyer, according to what Sun Tzu suggests, the Seller should resolve them. However, is that always the case?
It all depends on how you approach the situation. I have clients who always allow me to negotiate from a position of strength. They feel that as along as they are being reasonable, things have to happen their way. After all, if the Seller doesn’t like it, the deal can die and they can always sell the property to someone else. If a problem gets resolved, it is resolved by draining the Seller’s resources.
On the other side, I have also represented Buyers where they believed all the strength was in the Seller. Consequently, the Seller dictated terms and any time there was a problem, it was up to the Buyer to deplete their resources.
This is a HUGE difference. In other words, you have to be bold and seize the advantage. You have to look for opportunities where your perceptiveness can defeat your enemy. Whenever possible, make your enemy drain themselves and do NOT allow yourself to be drained. Often times, the way to get what you want is to be secure in your position. If you are afraid, your opponent will defeat you. If you are secure in yourself; in your knowledge; in your beliefs; you will NOT be defeated.
Chapter 3
Strategy of Attack
Strategy - The science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations. A plan, method, or series of maneuvers or strategems for obtaining a specific goal or result.
Attack – To begin hostilities against; start an offensive against. To set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with.
With regard to the military:
Taking a state whole is superior. Destroying it is inferior to this.
Taking an army whole is superior. Destroying it is inferior to this.
Taking a battalion whole is superior. Destroying it is inferior to this.
Taking a company whole is superior. Destroying it is inferior to this.
Taking a squad whole is superior. Destroying it is inferior to this.
Therefore, one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Subduing the other’s military without battle is the most skillful.
What Does This Complex Quote Actually Mean?
Once again, we must remember that Sun Tzu’s ideas were all meant to be applied in a military context. Notwithstanding, these ideas applies equally as well to our personal lives and careers.
The terms; state, army, battalion, company and squad are simply meant to be ever smaller units of your opponent. The state is the entire opponent. Battalions, companies and squads are simply smaller units of that opponent.
The main point behind this quote is that destruction should be avoided whenever possible. It is superior if you can subdue your opponent, as opposed to destroying them.
Subdue – To render submissive. To overpower by superior force. To overcome.
Destroy – To put an end to. To extinguish. To kill; slay. To defeat completely. To reduce to a useless form, or remains, as by rending, burning, or dissolving. To demolish, ruin, annihilate.
In short, subduing is gaining control over your opponent. Destruction is totally obliterating your client and wiping them off the map.
There’s a big difference between the two.
Learning To Conquer, Only To The Extent That Is Necessary
That’s what Sun Tzu’s previous quote was ALL about. Destruction is inherently bad. Think about it. Once you destroy something, you not only take away it’s ability to be your enemy, BUT, you also take away it’s ability to be your friend.
Once something is destroyed, it is gone. Forever lost.
BUT, here’s another point to consider. Just because something is forever destroyed and forever lost, doesn’t mean there won’t be “survivors.” AND, these survivors are going to be an even fiercer enemy, because of what you did to them.
In short, one should never tear things down any more than is necessary.
How does one keep from doing this?
By being balanced; by caring about others; by being considerate; by being constructive (not destructive) and by being generous once they have the upper hand.
Applying These Ideas To Real Life
As I’ve said before, just because Sun Tzu and The Art of War puts things in a military context, it does not mean they won’t apply equally as well in real life situations.
Think about the business world. Think about your personal life.
How many times do you run into people who annoy you; people who get in your way?
Personally within 5 minutes, in my career as a practicing lawyer, I could think of a list of probably 15 to 20 “former” adversaries who admired the way I worked with them so much that they later hired me, because they wanted me to represent THEM the way I represented their former adversary.
In other words, I worked with them in a strong, yet compassionate manner. My clients were taken care of, but I didn’t need to crush the other side while I was doing it.
In short, I was able to subdue my client’s opposition, by; being balanced, caring about the other side; being considerate of the other side, being constructive in our negotiations and being generous to the extent possible.
Quite simply. When you destroy, you might get what you want, but you make the world a little bit less great. When you subdue, you still get what you want, but the world has the ability to grow and to become something greater than it was before.
And so the superior military cuts down strategy. Its inferior cuts down alliances. Its inferior cuts down the military. The worst attacks walled cities.
What Does This Quote Mean?
To me, it is suggesting that one should conquer their enemies; their opponents, in the least offensive way possible. If you can cut down their strategy, you can defeat them that way. If you can cut down alliances with others, that still works, but it is a step or two lower. The worst is to simply attack and kill everyone in your way.
THAT IS WHAT SUN TZU MEANT BY ATTACKING WALLED CITIES.
Think about it. Who is behind walled cities (and I’m not trying to be sexist here, so please accept my apologies).
Behind the walled cities we will find: The elderly; the infirm; the women; the children; the people who have no one to defend them; the weak; the poor; to be honest, the whatever.
It does NOT matter who is actually behind the defensive walls. THAT is not the point. The point is that when a society (even if they are your opponent) decides that someone / something needs to be defended, that is obviously their weakest point.
NOW, HERE IS THE QUESTION – Do you go for the jugular where you totally obliterate your enemy, OR, do you simply attack to the point where you defeat your enemy, BUT they are still alive.
THAT is the interesting question.
Suz Tzu obviously believed that you should kill and obliterate as little as possible. After many years of contemplation, I agree with him.
Why Do I Agree?
It’s simple. Because, as I have grown wiser, I realize that we ALL want the same things. We want to be in control of our destinies AND we want to make sure our children are protected.
Simple stuff. We all want the same thing, so why do we fight ???
If you can answer that question, all conflict would immediately cease in this world – i wish you well, but i have to keep acting until such time as you get there.
Applying These Ideas To Real Life
Just because Sun Tzu and The Art of War puts things in a military context, it does not mean they won’t apply equally as well in real life situations.
Think about the business world. Sometimes the battle goes to the swiftest. Other times, it goes to the one who simply holds on the longest and waits for all their enemies / opponents to drop away.
SIMPLE POINT – We need to work together to build up and create, NOT destroy. Destruction is the ultimate bad thing that can happen. IF, IF, IF, we can all figure out how to live together, AND TO WORK TOGETHER, the world will be a better place.
And so one skilled at employing the military subdues the other’s military but does not do battle, uproots the other’s walled city but does not attack, destroys the other’s state but does not prolong.
One must take it whole when contending for all, thus the military is not blunted and advantge can be whole. This is the method of the strategy of attack.
What Does This Quote Mean?
It means that a skilled person defeats his opponent, by subduing them, but not by actually battling them.
For example, if you can undermine your opponent’s support, it’s not necessary to attack them directly. Politicians instinctively know this.
This quote actually combines several of the elements of which we spoke about earlier. The ideas about subduing and not prolonging. As we stated before, the longer any type of conflict drags on, it gives the defense a much greater advantage.
An so the method of employing the military –
When ten to one, surround them.
When five to one, attack them.
When two to one, do battle with them.
When matched, then divide them.
When fewer, then defend against them.
When inadequate, then avoid them.
That’s Some Useful Advice
When your advantage is so strong (i.e. 10 to 1), you shouldn’t even both to attack. All you need to do is surround your opponent and they will be defeated.
When your advantage drops to 5 to 1, it’s still strong, but not strong enough to surround them. Consequently, you can defeat your opponent by simply attacking them. You don’t necessarily have to crush them, but simply attack them.
When your advantage drops to 2 to 1, battle becomes necessary, BUT you still have enough of an advantage to defeat your enemy. Thus, that is what you should do.
When you are evenly matched, you should attempt to divide your opponent into factions, that way you have the advantage over each one of the factions, even if you do not have an advantage over their collective whole.
When your enemy outnumbers you, then you have no choice but to defend yourself. You should definitely not attack in such a situation.
When your forces are totally inadequate to the point where you cannot even muster a defense, then you should avoid your opponent whenever possible.
The Difference Between Military Leadership and Political Leadership
Now the general is the safeguard of the state. If the safeguard is complete, the state is surely strong. If the safeguard is flawed, the state is surely weak.
And so the sovereign brings adversity to the army in three ways –
Not knowing the army is unable to advance, yet ordering an advance,
Not knowing the army is unable to retreat, yet ordering a retreat.
Not knowing affairs within the armies yet controlling the governance of the armies.
Here, Sun Tzu suggests that it is the job of the military leader to make certain decisions and political leaders would be wise to defer to them UNLESS the political leader has a good understanding of the situation.
A little reading of The Art of War suggests that it is sometimes the job of military leaders to override the directives of their political leaders, when they know it is the right thing to do.
This is one place where my thoughts differ from those apparently had by Sun Tzu. In my mind, the primary burden of the military is NOT to override the political leadership when they believe they have a better understanding of the situation. INSTEAD, I believe it is the job of the military leadership to FULLY INFORM AND EDUCATE the political leadership, so that they will know what they’re doing.
Applying These Ideas To Real Life
Just because Sun Tzu and The Art of War puts things in a military context, it does not mean they won’t apply equally as well in real life situations.
THE BUSINESS WORLD
Think about the business world. Companies encounter these same issues all the time. They are constantly doing battle with their competition (their opponents). Inside of these companies are various levels of leadership and sometimes the lower levels of leadership may actually have a better understanding of the situation (just because they are closer to it).
How do companies deal with these situations? In the best of companies, the lower levels of leadership educate the upper levels, BUT, BUT, BUT, the upper levels of leadership must be willing and open to the suggestions of the lower levels.
In other words, a wise person does not believe they already know everything. They are open to suggestions and then ultimately they will make a decision. THEN it is the job of the lower levels to follow along with that decision.
That is how I have always run my companies and I believe it is the way the best of companies usually do it.
Frequently, it is when the upper levels think they already know it all OR when the lower levels hide things from the upper levels that companies begin to crumble.
OTHER AREAS WHERE IT APPLIES
Think about the business example above. Wouldn’t this also apply to any sufficiently large organization of which you are a part? How many times have you seen a church organization be split because of different factions in the leadership? The same thing might apply to any social group of which you are a part.
Applying These Ideas To Real Life
That’s the beauty of The Art of War. It can be applied virtually anywhere, at any time. It’s ideas are timeless.
Chapter 4
Form
Form - The shape of a thing or person. External appearance of a clearly defined area. The structure, pattern, organization, or essential nature of anything. A set, prescribed, or customary order or method of doing something.
Of old the skilled first made themselves invincible to await the enemy’s vincibility.
Invincibility lies in oneself.
Vincibility lies in the enemy.
Thus the skilled can make themselves invincible. They cannot cause the enemy’s vincibility.
Thus it is said, “Victory can be known. It cannot be made.”
What Does This Quote Mean?
Invincible – Incapable of being conquered, defeated or subdued.
Vincible – Capable of being conquered, defeated or subdued.
SO, either one is capable of being defeated or they are NOT capable of being defeated.
WHICH DO YOU WANT TO BE?
Personally, I prefer to be incapable of being defeated.
Assuming we all agree
The oldest and the wisest amongst us have survived by learning how to make themselves invincible and then sitting around waiting for their enemies to show vulnerability.
So, focus first on making yourself invincible. Focus on covering up all of your gaps and taking care of your weaknesses.
Then, focus on your enemies’ weaknesses. THAT is where opportunity lies.
You can make yourself invincible, BUT you can never control whether or not your enemy is invincible / vincible. a set, prescribed, or customary order or method of doing something. THAT, is up to them, not you. ALL YOU CAN DO IS SIT AROUND AN WAIT FOR THEM TO FALTER; WAIT FOR THEM TO OPEN THEMSELVES UP.
Another Quote From Sun Tzu
Invincibility is defense. Vincibility is attack. Defend and one has a surplus. Attack and one is insufficient.
What Does This Mean?
Invincibility is where it’s at. Invincibility is something to be strived for IN YOURSELF. Vincibility is something to be avoided, whenever possible and it is something to be strived for IN YOUR OPPONENT.
If you are unable to create vincibility in your opponent, SOMETIMES the best thing to do is sit around and wait, until they create it in themselves.
How Does This Apply To Real Life?
As I’ve been saying all along, The Art of War may be a military text, BUT it applies to every aspect of our lives. Anywhere in our lives where we have an opponent, the ideas, suggestions and rules outlined herein apply.
Just think of it. You are negotiating with a potential client. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to cover all of your bases and sit around waiting for the client to show weakness. Once they show weakness, you ACT, promptly, BUT APPROPRIATELY, and you secure them within your web. The end result, you pick up a new client, ALL BECAUSE YOU KNEW HOW TO ACT AND WHEN TO ACT.
That’s what The Art of War is about. Learning HOW to act and learning WHEN to act. That’s it. End of story.
One skilled at battle takes a stand in the ground of no defeat, And so does not lose the enemy’s defeat.
Therefore, the victorious military is first victorious and after that does battle.
The defeated military first does battle and after that seeks a victory.
What Does This Quote Mean?
It’s simple. The way to win is to make it impossible to lose. If you know you have your enemy defeated, take a stand on victorious ground and wait for your opponent to falter. In other words, sit back, hold tight and wait for things to happen.
I try to do this all the time (but unfortunately I don’t always succeed). If you want to make sure you will prevail in any type of conflict (be it a peaceful one or not), make sure you’ve won, BEFORE you enter into the battle.
For example: Whenever I negotiate a contract, I make sure (to the best of my abilities) that I’m in the right and that my positions will ultimately prevail (and I did all of this BEFORE I enter into contract negotiations).
On the other hand, a military that enters into battle BEFORE they are assured of victory has probably already lost. That simply won’t work.
One wins by making it impossible to lose. Let me repeat – ONE WINS BY MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LOSE.
Another Quote From Sun Tzu
As for method –
First, measure length.
Second, measure volume.
Third, count.
Fourth, weigh.
The Fifth is victory.
Earth gives birth to length.
Length gives birth to volume.
Volume gives birth to counting.
Counting gives birth to weighing.
Weighing gives birth to victory.
What Does This Mean?
It means that everything must be ASSESSED. If there is one idea that has been mentioned, over and over in The Art of War, it is the idea of assessing where one is at.
By assessing where one is at, one will then know how to proceed.
HERE, Sun Tzu gives us a recipe for how to assess ourselves and to assess our position with regards to matters in which we face an opponent (be it an external opponent or perhaps even ourselves).
Measure, measure, measure. Figure everything out. Assess everything. THEN, AND ONLY THEN, will you know where you stand.
THAT, is what I think Sun Tzu was attempting to teach us here.
How Does This Apply To Real Life?
As I’ve been saying all along, The Art of War may be a military text, BUT it applies to every aspect of our lives. Anywhere in our lives where we have an opponent, the ideas, suggestions and rules outlined herein apply.
Just think of it. By having a FULL understanding of ANY given situation, don’t you think that puts you in a better position to negotiate ???
After more than 20 years of negotiation experiences, I’m willing to say yes.
Just think about it. The MORE one understands about any given situation, the BETTER PREPARED they are to work with it.
Chapter 5
Abstract Knowledge
Insight
Skills
Abstract – Theoretical; not applied or practical. Thought that is apart from concrete realities, specific objects, or actual instances. Something that concentrates in itself the essential qualities of anything more extensive or more general, or of several things; essence.
Knowledge – Acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation. Awareness, as of a fact or circumstance.
Insight – An instance of apprehending the true nature of a thing, esp. through intuitive understanding. Penetrating mental vision or discernment; faculty of seeing into inner character or underlying truth.
Skills – Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience.
Ordering the many is like ordering the few. It is division and counting.
Fighting the many is like fighting the few. It is form and name.
The multitude of the armies can be made to meet all enemies without defeat. It is the extraordinary and the orthodox.
In sum, when in battle, use the orthodox to engage. Use the extraordinary to attain victory.
What Does This Quote Mean?
If one knows how to order a few; one can figure out how to order many. It is ALL just a matter of numbers.
If one can figure out how to fight the few; one can figure out how to fight the many. It is ALL just a matter of how we want to call it. It’s all the same thing, just with some differences.
Orthodox – Customary or conventional, as a means or method; established.
Extraordinary – Beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established.
When you are confronting your opponent, engage them with the ordinary; engage them with what they expect to see. Save the unconventional for the final victorious attack. Hit them with what they are NOT expecting when you want to be victorious.
The Power of Five
Musical pitches do not exceed five, yet all their variations cannot be heard.
Colors do not exceed five, yet all other variations cannot be seen.
Tastes do not exceed five, yet all their variations cannot be tasted.
The knowledge, insights and skills (shih) of battle do not exceed the extraordinary and the orthodox, yet all their variations cannot be exhausted.
What Does This Mean?
Variable / Variability – Apt or liable to vary or change; changeable. Capable of being varied or changed; alterable. Diversity.
Quite simply, one cannot know ALL of the possible outcomes; all of the possible variations.
Your power; your ability to prevail over your opponent comes from being able to take advantage of the possible variations; in being able to surprise your opponent with the extraordinary.
How Does This Apply To Real Life?
The Art of War may be a military text, BUT it applies to every aspect of our lives. Anywhere in our lives where we have an opponent, the ideas, suggestions and rules outlined herein apply.
Just think of it. Almost every single thing you do involves an opponent. You are negotiating a contract; you have an opponent. You are at the grocery store buying food; the store is “technically” your opponent. If you are having a discussion regarding the activities of your children; your children are you opponent.
Opponents are all around us and just because someone is your opponent, it is NOT necessarily a bad thing.
Opponent – Someone who is merely opposite from your position.
Opponents are not necessarily bad things. They are simply a fact of life.
Learning how to deal with them; how to work with them; how to get what you want; THAT IS THE KEY.
Chaos is born from order. Cowardice is born from bravery. Weakness is born from strength.
Order and chaos are a matter of counting.
Bravery and cowardice are a matter of shih (abstract knowledge, insight and skills).
Strength and weakness are a matter of form.
What Does This Quote Mean?
Sun Tzu is attempting to “put together” everything that has been discussed so far in the first 5 Chapters of The Art of War.
Order and Chaos signifies Chapter 1 – APPRAISALS. If you have sufficient numbers; sufficient resources and you know how to use them, you will have order. If not, you will have chaos.
Bravery and Cowardice signifies Chapter 5 – SHIH (Abstract Knowledge, Insight and Skills). If you have sufficient knowledge, insight and skills, you will believe in yourself and you will have reason to be brave. If not, you will have cowardice.
Strength and Weakness signifies Chapter 4 – FORM. If you have your resources appropriate arranged and you know how to use them, you will be strong. If not, you will be weak.
But, just like yin and yang, the seed of the opposite is in every extreme. Order stems from chaos. Bravery stems from cowardice. Strength stems from weakness.
Why Does The Art of War Focus On Extremes?
Some suggest that dividing things into winning and losing (basically, dividing them into extremes) is a losing proposition and as it was put, it’s a “zero sum game.” In other words, it’s a game where it is impossible for both players to win because one can only win if another loses.
Personally, I believe this is a VALID point that was raised and one that I’d like to expand upon.
Here’s why:
I don’t think that’s what Sun Tzu was going for here and it’s certainly not how I am choosing to interpret The Art of War.
Sun Tzu is advocating teaching. He attempted to impart knowledge and was doing so through the use of illustrations that were applicable to his day; to his time.
IF we are going to successfully apply The Art of War to our time, then we’re going to have to modify it a bit.
Personally, I do not believe that the only way for someone to win is for another to lose, HOWEVER, I can see how one might get that idea from my recent posts on The Art of War.
I have spent the last 20 years as a negotiator and while I will admit that sometimes someone is going to win and someone is going to lose, I have seen too many times where both parties won or both parties lost.
In fact, I encountered both recently. I handled a multi-million negotiation where both parties sat down for 10 minutes, state their concerns and they quickly, and reasonably worked out a solution that benefited both parties. One part is going to make several million dollars and the other party is going to acquire property they would like to acquire. It’s a win-win situation. YET, the tactics from The Art of War still applied. Both parties went in knowing they had a strong position. Both parties went in knowing they were right and that they could have “forced” the issue on the other, YET, both parties still managed to win, ALL because both parties applied the principles of The Art of War. They chose to win by NOT destroying.
On the other hand, I had a long-term situation that came to a head recently with a client who did just the opposite. EVERYONE LOST. NOBODY WON.
Chapter 6
Solid and Empty
Solid – Having the interior completely filled up, free from cavities, or not hollow. Without openings or breaks. Whole or entire.
Empty – Containing nothing; having none of the usual or appropriate contents. Without force, effect, or significance; hollow; meaningless. Without knowledge or sense; frivolous; foolish.
One who takes position first at the battleground and awaits the enemy is at ease.
One who takes position later at the battleground and hastens to do battle is at labor.
Thus, one skilled at battle summons others and is not summoned by them.
What Does This Quote Mean?
To me, it means that winners create the scene at the “battleground”. They don’t arrive at the battleground and all of a sudden decide what to do. INSTEAD, they create the situation. THEY are in control. They make their opponent respond to them, as opposed to responding to their opponent.
Another Quote
How can one make the enemy arrive on their own accord – offer them advantage.
How can one prevent the enemy from arriving – harm them.
Thus, how can one make the enemy labor when at ease and starve them when full – emerge where they must hasten.
Yet More Interpretation
If you want to draw your opponent into a situation where you are ready for them, offer them some “apparent” advantage. They will come running to you and you will be ready for them.
IF you are NOT ready for your opponent, harm them while they are still away and you might be able to prevent them from coming to you before you are ready.
NOW, here’s the good part. IF your opponent is at ease, OR if your opponent thinks they’re in pretty good shape, MAKE THEM HASTEN – MAKE THEM RUSH AROUND IN A CRAZY MANNER.
IF you can do that, you will remove all advantage they might have had on you.
Yet One More Quote From Sun Tzu
To go one thousand li without fear, go through unpeopled ground.
To attack and surely take it, attack where they do not defend.
To defend and surely hold firm, defend where they will sure not attack.
Thus, with one skilled at attack, the enemy does not know where to defend.
With one skilled at defense, the enemy does not know where to attack.
What Does This Mean?
This is yet MORE sound advice, ALL OF WHICH TIES INTO THE EARLIER PARTS MENTIONED ABOVE.
If you want to win when you attack, create a situation where you can attack an undefended position.
If you want to make sure you won’t lose while you defend, set up your defense in a position where you opponent will NOT attack.
IF you have the advantage on your opponent, they won’t know what to do. They won’t know how to defend themselves and they will have no clue as to how to attack you. FURTHERMORE, if they even try, they will surely lose.
To advance so that one cannot be resisted, charge against the empty.
To retreat so that one cannot be stopped, go so far that one cannot be reached.
And so, if I wish to do battle, the enemy cannot but do battle with me.
If I do not wish to do battle, I mark a line on the earth to defend it, and the enemy cannot do battle with me. I misdirect him.
Analysis
After you have evaluated (and hopefully created) the battleground, take the appropriate actions.
If you want to make sure you cannot lose while you attack, then attack where your enemy is not.
Think of this in a business context. IF you want to beat your competition, don’t get into a battle with them where you are both doing the same thing. In such a context, there is a good chance you will both lose. INSTEAD, use strategy to go into an area where they are not. Attack where they are not. They are empty there and thus cannot possibly stop you.
Likewise, if you decide you need to withdraw because your enemy is too strong, then withdraw so far that they won’t even bother to come after you.
Back to the business context. If your competition is either beating you or in such a situation where they are capable of beating you, you obviously don’t want to fight them, for you would lose. INSTEAD, use strategy to withdraw and get so far away from them, that you are off their radar screen. They will NOT want to chase you and thus will leave you alone.
EITHER WAY, YOU ARE CONTROLLING THE SITUATION.
If you want to do battle and are prepared to do so, set up the situation so your enemy must do battle with you.
If you do NOT want to do battle, because you are NOT prepared to do so, misdirect your enemy by giving him something else to focus on (such as the line in the earth/sand referenced above). They will focus on that line, and not on you.
Another Quote
And so the skilled general forms others, yet is without form.
Hence I am concentrated and the enemy is divided.
I am concentrated and thus one. The enemy is divided and thus one-tenth. This is using one-tenth to strike one. When I am few and the enemy is many, I can use the few to strike the many because those with whom I do battle are restricted !
More Interpretation
This one is simple and will actually be expanded upon in the next quote (see below). If you can keep your forces; keep your energy concentrated, while at the same time dividing the forces and energy of your opponent, YOU CANNOT LOSE.
DIVIDE YOUR OPPONENT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. RESTRICT YOUR OPPONENT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. If you can do that, you can defeat them, EVEN WITH inferior forces.
Yet One More Quote From Sun Tzu
The ground on which I do battle with him cannot be known.
THEN the enemy’s preparations are many.
When his preparations are many, I battle the few !
Prepare the front and the rear has few.
Prepare the left and the right has few.
Everywhere prepared; everywhere few !
The few are those who prepare against others.
The many are those who make others prepare against them.
What Does This Mean?
Few – A small number of persons or things. Not many but more than one.
Many – A large or considerable number of persons or things. Constituting or forming a large number; numerous.
If you misdirect your opponent; if you get them so confused that they’re not sure what you are going to do, then they must prepare for everything !
If you can do that, they cannot concentrate their forces. Instead their forces are split.
People who divide their forces are ones who prepare for every eventuality; who prepare against others.
The many, on the other hand, are able to gather their forces as they make others prepare against them.
Knowing the battle day and knowing the battleground,
One can go one thousand li and do battle.
Not knowing the battle day and not knowing the battleground,
The front cannot help the rear, the rear cannot help the front,
The left cannot help the right, the right cannot help the left.
How much more so when the far is several tens of li and the near and is several li away.
What Does This Quote Mean?
As Sun Tzu has suggested all along, IF YOU KNOW YOURSELF; IF YOU KNOW THE SITUATION AROUND YOU, then you are in the best situation to be prepared for whatever happens.
If your front line (your main position) is in jeopardy, you can reinforce it with help from your rear (your reserves).
If your strong side is in jeopardy; you can reinforce it with help from your weaker side.
This is the way it is in battle and the way it is in life. It is the way it is any time you face an opponent.
The bottom line is that you have to assess the situation, in advance, if you want to increase your chances of prevailing.
Evaluating Your Competition
And so prick them and know the pattern of their movement and stillness.
Form them and know the ground of death and life.
Appraise them and know the plans for gain and loss.
Probe them and know the places of surplus and insufficiency.
More Interpretation
In order to assess any given situation, one must constantly be testing it.
You must test your competition. You must test their knowledge; you must test their lack of knowledge. You must test their strength; you must test their lack of strength. You must know where they plan on succeeding and you must know where they plan on failing. Where are they strong, where are they weak.
The one who possesses this knowledge gives themselves a distinct advantage as they position themselves to be ready to create victory.
Yet One More Quote From Sun Tzu
Now the form of the military is like water.
Water in its movement avoids the high and hastens the low.
The military in its victory avoids the solid and strikes the empty.
Thus water determines the movement in accordance with the earth.
The military determines victory in accordance with the enemy.
The military is without fixed knowledge; without fixed preparations and without lasting form.
What Does This Mean?
Like virtually EVERYTHING mentioned in The Art of War, it is about knowing the extremes.
It is about knowing the highs and the lows; the left and the right; the out and the in; the front and the rear.
This is the main concept behind The Art of War – understanding the entire situation.
If one understands the entire situation, one is best prepared to deal with that situation.
Chapter 7
Contending
Contend – To struggle in opposition. To strive in rivalry; compete. To strive in debate; dispute earnestly. To assert or maintain earnestly.
In sum, the method of employing the military –
The general receives the command from the sovereign,
Joins with the army, gathers the multitude, organizes them and encamps.
Nothing is more difficult than an army contending.
What Does This Quote Mean?
The first thing I would like to do is restate this quote, but changing some of the words to apply them to a business or a personal context, as opposed to a military one. Here goes:
In sum, the method of employing one’s resources –
The sub-leader receives the commands from the head of the organization,
Joins with his team, gathers them, organizes them and gets them ready for what lies ahead.
Nothing is more difficult than organizing one’s resources so that they are ready, NO MATTER WHAT LIES AHEAD.
This is My Point About The Art of War
I’ve been saying all along that the reason The Art of War has survived for more than 2500 years is that ALTHOUGH it was written for a military context, it’s ideas are timeless and flexible and can be applied to virtually any situation.
Think About It
If you work for a large company, think about the command structure there. Think about how things flow. Think about how things get done. Think about how you; your team; your company all work to face the challenges ahead of you.
I’d be willing to bet that the quote above describes your situation almost perfectly.
If you are a member of a large non-profit organization, such as a church – a foundation – whatever, the same structure applies. There is a chain of command, of some sort, and the best leaders are the ones who are able to organize everyone – who are able to get everyone to work together as a group – rather than to fight for their own agendas.
The principles behind The Art of War apply here to.
Chapter 8
Transformations
Transformation – Change in form, appearance, nature, or character. The act of process of changing in form, appearance, condition, nature, structure or character.
In spread-out ground, so not encamp.
In junction ground join with allies.
In crossing ground do not linger.
In enclosed ground strategize.
In death ground, do battle.
What Does This Quote Mean?
As usual, Sun Tzu lays it out for us in simple terms.
The first thing he says is do not spread your forces out too thinly. That is spread-out ground. That is not a good place to set up camp and to rest. Too many things can happen and your energies are spread too thinly.
The next is that when opportunities present themselves to meet with allies and to gain allies, we should take them on. We should support them. We should accept allies. It only increases our energies.
The next is about crossing ground, which to me is a place where several DIFFERENT things are happening at once. This is NOT a good place to hang around. So many different things are going on and you never really know what’s going to come at you next. That is NOT a good place to hang out.
The next is enclosed ground, which to me is PROTECTED GROUND. In protected ground, you can relax a bit; you can take a deep breath. THAT IS THE BEST TIME TO THINK. THAT IS THE BEST TIME TO STRATEGIZE.
The last is the most powerful of them all; DEATH GROUND. Death ground is a place you try to keep your opposition out of. Why ??? Because when they are on death ground, they only have one choice. FIGHT OR DIE. First of all, it is much better if one can defeat their opposition without having to destroy them. We’ve already said that numerous times in our discussions. Also, if you give your opponent no choice but to fight to the death, that’s exactly what they’ll do. Fight to the death – yours or theirs.
More From Sun Tzu
There are roads one does not follow.
There are armies one does not strike.
There are cities one does not attack.
There are grounds one does not contest.
There are commands of the sovereign one does not accept.
My Interpretation
A wise person knows when to do battle and when NOT to do battle.
A wise, experienced person knows that some paths are best left untouched. I have this happen virtually every day. Something comes my way and I have to choose how to respond, or whether or not I should respond at all. This not only applies in war, but it applies in business and in life.
The most interesting one I find is about the commands of the sovereign one does not accept. I had this also happen yesterday. I’m wanting to do business with a new company and they made a request of me that I found to be unreasonable. IT WAS A NORMAL REQUEST FOR THEM, but I felt it did not work in my situation. Instead I had to reject their request and we are working on alternative means to satisfy everyone.
In other words, sometimes you have to take a stand for what you believe in.
One Last Quote
And so, the method of employing the military – -
Do not rely on their not coming .
Rely on what we await them with.
Do not rely on their not attacking.
Rely on how we are unable to be attacked.
What Did Sun Tzu Mean By Transformation?
He meant to transform the way we evaluate situations and prepare for them.
Don’t rely on not being attacked. We cannot control that.
HOWEVER, we can control how prepared we are. In other words, rely on what we await them with.
That’s is the nature of transformation. If we do NOT like the present situation, TRANSFORM IT into something we do like and that we can control.
Chapter 9
Leadership and Movement
Movement – Actions or activities, as of a person or a body of persons. A progressive development of ideas toward a particular conclusion. The process of passing from one place or position to another. To advance or progress.
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