Few books written over 2,000 years ago still contain valuable lessons for today – this is one of them. The Art of War is a treatise on ancient Chinese military strategy, but its tactics translate well to the world of politics, economics, and business psychology.
Mandatory reading in business schools and executive offices, Sun Tzu’s classic on resolving and avoiding conflict is full of timeless lessons that are easily applied on and off of the battlefield.
Key Takeaways
The secret of getting successful work out of your trained men lies in one nutshell—in the clearness of the instructions they receive.
Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.
When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy.
Place your army in deadly peril, and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits, and it will come off in safety.
Those who want to make sure of succeeding in their battles and assaults must seize the favorable moments when they come and not shrink on occasion from heroic measures: that is to say, they must resort to such means of attack of fire, water and the like. What they must not do, and what will prove fatal, is to sit still and simply hold to the advantages they have got.
