THE ART OD WAR by Sun Tzu Review of the book and its application in modern life (by Mirela Ratkovic) The Art of War is a Chinese military work written in 6 Century BC by Sun Tzu. In it's 13 chapters it describes and analyses all the known aspects of war, from
tactics and
strategies, organisation, manpower - formations and troups, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for
warfare, to everexisting
basic questions of life and death, material and spiritual, thus incorporating centuries-long wisdom. It is not only significant for warfare but it has also become basis for modern management
concepts, economic strategies, decision making process within corporate structures and for everyday life. Still, one should not draw conclusions that this book proclaims war and hostile behaviour in society. The truth is, it is rather far from that assumption, particularly by implying that the gratest wisdom of all is being able to maintain peace whenever possible. However, if maintaining peace is highly unlikely, then there are some guidances on how to behave in situations when war takes place. The Art of War is one of the oldest books on military
strategy in the world. Much of the work is dedicated to defining concepts in a form of series of guidances for every aspect of war and military activities. It is the first and one of the most successful works on strategy and has widely influenced military concepts and tactics both of the East and West. The author was the first who recognized the importance of positioning in strategy and that position is affected both by objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective opinions of competitive actors in that environment. His basic concept was that strategy involves quickly responding and appropriately adapting to changing conditions, instead being merely a list of tasks to be accomplished. As mentioned previously, The Art of War, in certain way, presents an insight on human relations and has also successfully been applied to management and management strategies, politics, foreign affairs etc., and it can easily be applied to any aspect of life. (An example of this can be found in Gerald A. Michaelson's The Art of War for Managers, presenting teachings to contemporary managerial practices). Some highlights of this teachings and basic principles of this great work, which provide an excellent guidline for everyday life and self-improvement, are introduced bellow.
1) The strength of belief that the purpose is morally sound rallies a fighting spirit and generates a firestorm of commitment. 2) Too much time spent planning can breed indecisveness and error. It is often better to engage in some form of simultaneous planning and implementation. Tactical plans must be shaped in relation to reality with the information learned from contact. 3) Think about providing opportunities for everyone to win. Make the award cycle short and issue rewards immediately after the event. Always gather an audience when you give recognition. 4) To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Thus, the best policy in war is to attack the enemy's strategy. The second best way is to disrupt his alliances through diplomatic means. The next best method is to attack his army in the field.
5) Most battles are won before they are ever fought. Do not fight enemies that are much stronger thank you. As Napoleon said, "God is on the side of the heaviest artillery." 6) There is a difference between instructions and orders. Instructions are expressions of the commander's wishes, not to be carried out unless maNifestly practicable. Orders are to be obeyed instantly and to the letter. However, orders can only be issued by an officer actually present wiroops concerned and fully aware of the situation. 7) Keep on the Offensive: Being on the offensive preserves freedom of action and keeps you in control. The offensive action also strengthens the morale and confidence of the aggressor. 8) Structure follows strategy, always. First determine the strategy to
achieve your vision, and then develop the organizational structure. Finally, put the best people in place. 9) Successful strategic thrusts are achieved by rapidly accumulating power (momentum) and releasing that power when it will have the most desirable effect (timing). 10) When you cannot have absolute superiority, you must concentrate your strengths against your opponent's weaknesses to achieve relative superiority. It's a business fundamental that you must focus your resources where you can achieve decisive results profitably.
It is beyond any doubt that The Art of War is a fascinating tool for mastering our everyday life, to surmount the obstacles by considering them a challenge and not a problem, to achieve success in conflict situations and negotiations, to develop highly analytical skills in order to accomplish our goals much more easily but without deminishing basic human and moral principles. There are, however, many many more of these principles, important for mastering the art of war and, I dare to say, the art of life itself, which is why I strongly recommend to all the readers, especially to those who wish to make a difference by improving themselves expanding their knowledge on this matter and broadening their horizons on higher aspects of life, to read this book.
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