The oldest strategy book in history? "Art of War" as compulsory reading for managers!

The Chinese general, military strategist and philosopher Sunzi wrote the first known written treatise on strategy around 2,500 years ago. "The Art of War" and the rules it contains are said to have made commanders unbeatable.

For some years now, "The Art of War" has been recommended for managers, business leaders and government politicians. Numerous new interpretations and translation attempts of the book have been written.

From my point of view, this is a good thing, because "The Art of War" should be compulsory reading for everyone whose job it is to lead people. Those who would like to read the book in its original form today face the challenge of translating Sunzi's teachings, which are brutal from today's point of view, into the present and reinterpreting them accordingly.

Therefore, I will summarize the central axioms of the book, which are elaborated in 13 chapters, and I will occasionally clarify how they can be interpreted in modern times...

1. Planning ensures victory

When a state goes to war, it fights for survival. Accordingly, no effort must be spared to master the art of war. All further plans must be made in war on the basis of this knowledge.

He who carefully plans forthcoming battles will defeat anyone who has not done likewise. A general must make carefully thought-out plans before every battle. If two armies are facing each other at a decisive moment, one can predict the winner and the loser by asking oneself a few questions:B

Which general can be sure of the complete approval and absolute obedience of his followers?

Which general can be sure of the complete approval and absolute obedience of his followers? Which army has the better trained officers and fighters, or more discipline and strength? Under what external conditions do the armies meet, i.e. which army is favored by factors such as terrain, climate or the distance to be covered?

If a general compares his army and that of the enemy from these points of view, he will recognize the strengths and weaknesses on both sides. A competent general adjusts his strategy accordingly. Only those who know their opponent and themselves well will be victorious.

2. Patience is as important as the battle itself

Successful strategists only take up battles where they can be sure of victory. Unsuccessful strategists engage in skirmishes and engagements even before they have considered how to win them.

A savvy warrior avoids battles he might lose, ensuring he will never be defeated. But even the most ingenious general cannot predict exactly when victory can be won under normal circumstances. Consequently, he must wait for the enemy to make a mistake and thus provide him with a particularly favorable opportunity for victory. For this he needs patience and should adhere to the following rules:

Caution is the first commandment. Only when a general is really sure of his advantage may he attack, otherwise he risks defeat. He must plan in such a way that no situation occurs in which he makes himself vulnerable to attack and the opponent can play to his strengths.

If the enemy army has great combat readiness, if it is perfectly positioned or if it occupies a more favorable position, for example, a higher position, a clash does not make sense. A wise general prefers to wait for an opportunity when his opponent is at a disadvantage.

The opponent will not be unfamiliar with this strategy and will certainly try to put the other in turn in a disadvantageous situation. Every general must therefore beware of traps set for him by his opponent. He must not lead his army to places where it could run into a supply bottleneck or where he is worse off than his enemy.

Actions on impulse are the most dangerous thing for a good strategist. Patience and forward planning always pay off. If someone enters a fight out of sheer anger, it is rarely worth the effort. Anger dissipates, but a destroyed kingdom is difficult to rebuild.

3. Mistakes ultimately lie with the highest authority

In war, an army is led by a general, but the general is subject to the orders of the head of state, whose orders can hinder an army. This becomes the army's undoing especially if, for example, he orders its retreat or advance in a situation that does not permit it.

When the head of state directs the army through ill-conceived orders or gives the wrong responsibilities to officers, the consequences are fatal. Such mistakes not only shake the confidence of the soldiers, but can bring about the defeat of the entire army.

But even a general can make dangerous mistakes. Recklessness or cowardice can destroy an entire army or lead him into captivity. Irascibility and pride make him easily provoked and wrong priorities can be a hindrance in pure warfare.

In many mistakes which, at first sight, are to be blamed on the army, in reality it is the general who must be held responsible. It may happen that soldiers take flight in the face of a much stronger opponent. In this case, the general should not have started the battle in the first place. Similarly, if he does not exude sufficient authority and his decisions are not accepted by the soldiers, the fault lies with him. Even if his soldiers are insufficiently prepared and too weak, and large parts of the army go down right at the beginning of a battle, the general is the one who bears the responsibility.

Moreover, as the leader of the army, he must also keep a firm grip on the authority figures subordinate to him, such as officers, so that they maintain their discipline and do not go on the attack on their own authority, because this can also cost many lives and victory. A general must always give his army the feeling of the best planning and preparation. No one voluntarily follows a haphazard leader into battle, for indecision shows weakness and can mean death in situations that require quick decisions.

The most fatal of all mistakes, however, is a decision based on an incorrect assessment. If a general does not realise that an opponent is superior to him, this can result in a devastating defeat and not infrequently in the extermination of the entire army.

Explanation: Here I would like to take a brief opportunity to explain how Sunzi is to be interpreted in modern terms. Let us take the issue of discipline. This ultimately means that the laws established in the company apply equally to everyone. For only those who lead by example with discipline as well as high ethical and moral example can be sure that they will be followed. Those who succeed in releasing the energy within an entire organization will beat others.

4. A quick war is a cheap war

An army has a high cost: food, chariots, spears, arrows and oxen - all the resources an army needs are enormously expensive.

Continuous war can deplete a state's resources and make it weak and vulnerable. The goal of any general must therefore be quick decisive victories and not campaigns that last forever.

It makes no sense to lay siege to walled cities, for such a maneuver requires months of preparation and many impatient generals will let their men perish in hopeless attempts to achieve their goals.

Ideally, war costs can be minimized by the leader of an army leaving the enemy's land, city and even army intact rather than destroying them in costly battles. The winner may even be able to use many of the opponent's resources for himself. However, this requires a superior armed force.

But there is another way in which a state's resources can be conserved: By stealing the enemy's food, weapons and men, a strategist weakens the opponent on the one hand and gains strength himself on the other. This saves the costs that food imports from home would cause and spares the peasants, who thus do not have to spend themselves on feeding the army.

A skillful general will defeat his opponents without a fight.

A skillful general will defeat his opponents without a fight: He carries off the ultimate triumph if his attack is cunning and surprising. Great warriors are distinguished not only by winning, but also by triumphing effortlessly.

Since a single battle can decide entire wars, it pays to use spies: They provide a general with crucial information about the enemy and in turn provide the enemy with false information that leads him astray. The best spies require close personal relationships and adequate remuneration. What they cost is little compared to what they save by hastening the end of the war. However, a quick departure is often necessary: If a general devises a plan based on information leaked to him by a spy, both the spy and any other confidants must die to protect the ruse from betrayal.

Explanation: This passage also offers a fine example of reinterpretation. Ultimately, it can also be interpreted as the conquest of markets. Because here, too, the time advantage decides on victory or defeat. This also applies to M&A issues, because here, too, competitors are best swallowed if they remain intact and their employees are spared.

5. Deception is the true art of war

The true art of war lies in deception. A clever general puts on the mask of weakness to his strengths, hides courage behind fear and gives the appearance of disorder to order. In this way he confuses the enemy and induces him to be careless, because he is lulled into a sense of security.

Troops must appear undisciplined when in reality they are extremely disciplined. When an army approaches its enemy, the enemy must believe it is still far away. If the attack is imminent, the army should appear unprepared and haphazard.

Basically, it is a cat-and-mouse game. If an opponent is easily irritated, he may be irritated. He should be disturbed when it suits him least. When he needs food most urgently, he must starve. When he is resting, the other side forces him to move. If he is to move forward, an appropriate lure must lure him there, and if it is necessary for him to retreat, threats work wonders.

A clever fighter takes the initiative and makes the enemy dance to his tune. The easiest places to defeat an enemy are those where he knows how to defend himself badly, i.e. in places where he has to rush in unprepared to defend himself.

The following tactic for weakening the opponent also works very well: By means of deceptive maneuvers, he cannot guess where he will be attacked next. So he must not limit himself to just one place. To protect all possible targets, he must split his army into smaller factions. This makes him particularly vulnerable: weakness arises where he has many fronts to defend and cannot concentrate his strength.

6. Tactic adapts to opponents and circumstances

A good general knows that there are always certain positions that should not be held, certain paths that should not be taken, and orders that should not be obeyed. Like water that adapts to the shape of its vessel, he must adapt to the situation, his surroundings and the condition of his opponent and not act too stiffly and inflexibly.

In order to be able to act according to the circumstances, a good power of observation is necessary. Every environment has its advantages and disadvantages. Those who know these also know where they can fight and where they should better leave it alone. Among the types of terrain that are rather disadvantageous for battles are areas with steep hills or those without sufficient water supply.

Extreme caution should also be exercised in sloping cliffs, enclosed areas and swamps, where a small force can wipe out an entire army if the latter is incorrectly positioned. Signs of an ambush, such as startled birds, can likewise provide information about tactical disadvantages.

Careful observation of the enemy himself also holds much information that contributes to winning a battle. If the enemy soldiers can barely stand, so that they have to lean on their spears, they are probably completely exhausted from hunger. If soldiers in search of water immediately throw themselves greedily at the spring they find, this indicates a long period of thirst.

As soon as the enemy soldiers start eating their own cattle, forget to hang their cooking pots over the campfire, i.e. altogether behave as if they would never return to their tent, it seems certain that they are ready to fight relentlessly to the death.

7. Determination and blind faith lead to victory

A large army is best led when it is divided into many small units. Any kind of signal can be used to communicate between troops: Gongs, drums, banners and fire signals let everyone equally know what is happening.

An army must move like a unit so that the cowards do not dare to retreat and leave the fight to the brave, i.e. no individual parts break away from it. A skillful general takes his army by the arm and leads it as if it were one man.

A general also treats his soldiers as if they were his beloved sons.

A general also treats his soldiers as if they were his beloved sons. They sense this and will stand faithfully by his side until they die. In return, however, they must learn to recognize his authority and orders, for otherwise they will cause him trouble like pampered children.

A disciplined army paves the way to victory. But for this discipline to bear fruit, soldiers must appreciate their leader. Humanity should prevail everywhere, but disciplinary measures such as punishments are also necessary to keep rebellious men under control.

However, a general must not reveal too much. He plans in such a way that neither the enemy nor his own soldiers see through his plan, but the latter have the necessary confidence in him to follow. They benefit from hearing that the situation is favorable. Conversely, however, they should not hear about it if the circumstances are rather bad.

The further an army penetrates into the enemy country, the stronger the solidarity among the soldiers must be. After all, in hopeless situations from which there is no escape, the whole army must be able to cast off its fear and fight with the greatest strength to the death.

My conclusion

Sunzi's masterpiece in 13 chapters sharpens one's mental faculties. It can serve as a personal life planner or as a guidebook for managers and leaders. The book's axioms help to assess complex situations quickly and confidently. Likewise, its described success factors, the law of morality, of heaven and earth, commanders, and method and discipline are, in my view, important guideposts for every modern manager. On the other hand, everyone should also be aware of the dangerous mistakes of recklessness, cowardice, sensitive sense of honor, unbridled temper and excessive concern for the welfare of others.

Also, in view of recent geopolitical developments, many readers should be interested in Sunzi's theories. A close analysis will reveal two things:

1. at first glance, Sunzi admonishes that war and fighting should be avoided as they ruin the state and the people. Non-violent strategies seem to be central. Thus, Sunzi states that it is best to thwart the enemy's strategy, second best to break up the enemy's alliances, and only third to fight and win.

A closer look at the book, however, reveals that Sunzi's strategy is geared exclusively to one goal: the complete and lasting destruction of an enemy who has already been sufficiently weakened by appropriate, where possible non-violent, tactical measures. For in his view, this is the only way to prevent the threatening destruction of one's own people through war. All individual tactical measures are subordinate to this goal.

If you liked Sunzi's "Art of War", I recommend "The Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi, "Bushido - The Soul of Japan" by Inazo Nitobe or "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli.