Sun Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, general, and strategist born around 544 BC is recognized as the author behind the seminal treatise, The Art of War. This ancient text of military strategy is still highly regarded in the world's military academies and has served as the model and inspiration for many modern works. Sun Tzu's philosophy can clearly be seen in the contemporary text, Warfighting, written as an exposition of the US Marine Corps' warfighting strategy.
In a logical progression, tenets from The Art of War have also been redressed and released as a guide for business leaders. Simply replace "General" with "CEO" in the manuscript and you have a very good manual on how to handle close order combat in the boardroom.
The wisdom of Sun Tzu's teachings can be subtle.
"He who knows both himself and his enemy need not fear the result of a hundred battles."
He placed a lot of stress on spycraft, feints, and misdirection.
"Appear strong when you are weak and appear weak when you are strong."
And his words still ring true today.
"There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare."
One of the most well-known stories about Sun Tzu happened during his tenure as a general in the service of King Wu. To validate Sun Tzu's credentials, the king ordered the general to train his retinue of concubines in military drill. Surprising the king, and with absolutely zero f*cks given, Sun Tzu agreed with the proviso that he would have full control of the training and that the king could not interfere.
The ladies were divided into two groups, each headed by one of the king's favorite concubines. Sun Tzu faced the two formations of women and loudly and slowly explained how to perform a basic military drill command. Upon completion of this tutorial, he brought them to attention and shouted, "Right face!" Both cadres broke down into laughter, faces hidden by spread, fluttering fans. Nonplussed, Sun Tzu waited for the giggles to die down and declared, "If an order is given, and troops fail to implement the order, the fault lies with the commander for being unclear in his expectations."
He patiently gave overly detailed instructions on how to complete the basic command and again shouted, "Right face!" Once more, the ladies just stood, giggling behind their fans, and, once more, Sun Tzu declared, "If an order is given, and troops fail to implement the order, the fault lies with the commander for being unclear in his expectations." But he continued, "However, if the commander has been clear with his instructions and his expectations, the fault lies with the field commanders." He then ordered the execution of the king's two favored concubines.
Horrified, the king protested, but Sun Tzu waved him off, reminding him that he ceded his authority for the duration of the training exercise. The executions were carried out and new "field commanders" were appointed. Sufficiently sobered as to the seriousness of their positions, the two cadres performed flawlessly.
A multitude of lessons can be unpacked here.
• Leaders at every level in an organization must be accountable for mission success - and failure.
• In the very fluid theater of war, tactical decisions on the battlefield should reside with commanders on the ground, not armchair commanders half a world away.
• Those in positions of authority in the downtown office or in an operational theater on another continent should not be flippant with their most important assets - their people.
Perhaps most importantly, it's an admonition to not impart fools' errands to grizzled old guys with absolutely zero f*cks to give.
Welcome to Rock-tober.
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