Need for Strengthening Domestic and External

Issues
Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Need for Strengthening Domestic and External Issues
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 1

Observed lessons
 From visible facts you can deduce what is hidden.
 From the past, much of the future may be learned.
 Beauty is not utility. Splendid-looking weapons and machines may be useless on the
battlefield.
 In peace, thoughts of war dispel and preparations forgotten. Yet when war arrives, we
wish we were more prepared.

Discussion
Knowledge comes from study and intelligence, study and true facts. Skill comes from practice.
You win a war not by appearances but with skill and effective weaponry. Grand marches and
show do not indicate real military ability. Soldiers who have not been battle-hardened are not
yet at their full strength.
Few people like war, especially when enjoying the fruits and comforts of bountiful and
peaceful times. When all seems good, it seems a waste to spend on military development.
Much better, it seems, to spend one's money on more immediate pleasures. Yet war is eternal.
Always there are countries and groups who wish to expand or spread ideologies. If you wish
for war, then encouraging a long peace can hence weaken a future enemy.
The same is true in business. When times are good, people get soft and forget how to compete.
This gives scope for a new, aggressive competitor to appear and defeat a much bigger
incumbent.

See also
Learning
http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Wu_Zi_Art_of_War

Unity and People's Support

Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Unity and People's Support
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 2

Observed lessons
 A good ruler is close to their people, understanding their sufferings.
 A good ruler is a teacher, building skills, especially for leadership.
 There are four disharmonies which cripple warfare:
1. Disharmony in the state: prevents creation of military campaigns.
2. Disharmony in the army: prevents effective battle.
3. Disharmony in formation: prevents successful attack.
4. Lack of cohesion in battle: prevents victory.
 A good ruler builds unity in his forces so the four disharmonies are avoided.
 Seek advice and support when building plans. Make sure your people understand and
accept them.

Discussion
It is so easy for people at the top to lose touch with the people lower down, especially if they
are surrounded with sycophants or people who are too afraid to tell the truth. When everyone
looks up, nobody knows what is below. The greatest role for a leader is to make more leaders,
though few do, for fear of creating a competitor.
When people are unified, they put aside petty differences as they fight for a shared, greater
cause. When plans make sense to them, they will support them. When they realize that the
leader cares about them, they will fight for the leader and the leader's ideals.

See also
Learning

http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Wu_Zi_Art_of_War
Running the State and Victory
Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Running the State and Victory
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 3

Observed lessons
 To lead:
o Instruct with propriety.
o
Motivate with righteousness.
o Instil shame in those who may not follow.
 The more victories you need to conquer, the more likely it is that you will fail.

Discussion
Propriety is conformity to conventionally accepted standards of behaviour or
morals. Values (and similar social rules) are far more powerful in creating deep commitment
than simple obedience. When persuaded with propriety, adopt social rules and are hence ruled
by the majority rather than just by a single leader.
Righteousness also uses values and morals. When people feel righteous, they look down on
others who do not follow the same rules and judge them as unworthy, bad and deserving of
punishment. The righteous warrior fights for something greater than themselves. They are
often aroused to great anger and seek to bring retribution on their sinful opponents.
Face with the horrors of war, soldiers may easily become fearful and contemplate desertion or
avoidance of danger. Yet again, it is social pressures that makes a soldier face death as the
thought of shame dissuades them from showing any cowardice.
When you have to fight many battles in a war, each battle weakens you and may create deeper
resentment in those you conquer, making peace-bringing even harder than the war itself. A
brief, decisive victory then gives you better chance to win hearts and minds and avoid
subsequent resistance.
In business, it is also wise to understand and play to social motivation, rather than use the
formal power of being a manager. Clear business victories are also more likely to bring longer-
term success than wars of attrition where you and your competitors become weakened by long,
exhausting battles.
See also
Values

http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Wu_Zi_Art_of_War

Reasons for War and its Counter Strategy

Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Reasons for War and its Counter Strategy
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 4

Observed lessons
 There are five reasons why wars are started and which affect the nature of each war:
1. To contend for fame: leading to righteous warfare
2. To contend for benefits and advantages: leading to bullying warfare
3. To seek revenge: leading to angry warfare
4. Internal strife: leading to plundering in war
5. Famine: leading to contrarian warfare
 Counter these wars with the following methods:
1. Righteous warfare: use propriety
2. Bullying warfare: use deference
3. Angry warfare: use verbal persuasion
4. Plundering warfare: use your wits
5. Contrarian warfare: impose your authority

Discussion
War happens for a reason, though the reason is not always the same. By understanding this,
you can determine how it will be fought and what the best strategy for your forces should be.
 Seeking fame and glory may be driven by an egotistical rules, though it may also be used
to distract populations from closer concerns.
  Benefits and advantages are often driven by a sense of superiority, which leads to
bullying. Pandering to a stronger bully requires humility which may keep them from the
worst of their excesses until you have the strength to drive them away.
 Revenge warfare can be a repeating pattern in feuds. Diplomacy can be used to seek to
break such cycles.
 Plundering forces can act like animals and may be beyond reason, and like animals they
may be defeated by intelligence and craftiness.
 When people are hungry and seek to take your food, their focus is on that food more than
strength, so a strong and authoritarian response may sufficient to control them.

See also
Running the State and Victory

Managing Troops Selecting Talents Strengthening

Nation
Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Managing Troops Selecting Talents Strengthening Nation
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 5

Observed lessons
 Rule through social values and expect those in government and authority to do the same.
 Recruit and promote people based on their values and talent.
 Form military units of people with similar skills and motivations:
o Courage and strength
o Joy in advancing and going first
o Speed and nimbleness
o Officers who have been demoted
o Those who have lost in war

Discussion
Social rules are a very powerful force for gaining agreement and commitment, far more so than
a person in authority standing up and saying 'do this'. We fight harder for what others will
think of us than because we are told to fight.
By bringing together those with similar motivation, you can create strongly cohesive groups.
Those with courage and strength with fight hard together. Those who are quick will be able to
keep up with one another. Those who have failed in the past will support one another (rather
than looking down on them) as they fight to regain their position and the esteem of others.

See also
Running the State and Victory

http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Wu_Zi_Art_of_

Strength in Offense and Defense

Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Strength in Offense and Defense
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 6

Observed lessons
 Promote by merit. Have worthy people in charge and those less worthy below them.
 When people fight for less competent officers, they lose respect and are less willing to
fight.

Discussion
Getting the right people in the right position seems obvious but is remarkably rare, in military,
government and business. This is often because we think we know how good people are,
though this over-confidence in our own abilities is proven wrong time and again. It also
happens because we promote people who come from the 'right' background, who are good at
flattering us or who project a competent image while hiding their incompetencies.
The greater the stress of the situation, the greater the need for competent leaders who others
will follow. When times are easy, anyone can manage. When times are tough, it is soon
apparent who is the right person for the job. This principle can be used in selection, giving
candidates challenging situations and observing carefully how they go about achieving success.

See also
Selection
http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Wu_Zi_Art_of_War

Importance of Seeking Talents

Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Importance of Seeking Talents
Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter
First part : 1 : 7

Observed lessons
 When you are leader and your people are nowhere near as competent as you, then it is
time to worry.
 There are always people of talent. You just need to find them. A great leader is
surrounded by great people.
 Let your people be your teachers.

Discussion
A danger in recruitment and selection occurs where people seek to appoint others who will not
threaten them. In this way, B-players will often tend to appoint C-players and certainly not A-
playerswho may make them look relatively incompetent. It takes a confident leader to appoint
people who are cleverer than they are, yet the alternative is to have a team who have limited
ability and who will fail when times get tough.
The best leaders are also the best learners and are always seeking people from who they may
learn. This is one of the secrets of leaders who are also teachers -- that they understand learning
and stay ahead by paying attention to their own, carefully recruited teachers.

See also