The Art of War for Leaders

Sun Tzu wrote the Art of War around 2500 years ago in China.  The book is loaded with practical wisdom for coaches and leaders.  I have written a longer article relating the book for coaches.  This post is excerpts from that article which was adapted from the book.  I hope you can find a few practical pieces of advice from one of the greatest leaders the world has seen.

How to Treat Followers:
-"If you are careful of your men, and camp on hard ground, the army will be free from disease of every kind, and this will spell victory."
-"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.  If, however, you are indulgent, but unable to make your authority felt; kind-hearted, but unable to enforce your commands; and incapable, moreover of quelling disorder: then your soldiers must be likened to spoilt children; they are useless for any practical purpose."

When to be Aggressive in Pursuing your Objective:
-"Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; Ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive".
-"The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed upon him."

Preparation:
-"Ponder and deliberate before you make a move."
-"He will win, who prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared."
-"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."
-"The experienced soldier, once in motion, is never bewildered; once he has broken camp, he is never at a loss."
-"The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources."

Leading
" The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom"

Flexibility
"He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain."
"The general who completely understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.  The general who does not understand these, may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account."

Inspiring
"He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit  throughout all its ranks."

I would gladly email you the entire 7 page article which goes much more in-depth if you are interested.  Drop me a line at coachpaul82@gmail.com for more information or post a comment on the blog.