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The Annotated Art of War (Parts 12.15-16: Encouraging Enterprise)

Disciplines > Warfare > The Annotated Art of War > Parts 12.15-16: Encouraging Enterprise

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XII. The Attack by Fire

Sun Tzu said:

15. Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise; for the result is waste of time and general stagnation.

Commanders do not have a monopoly on ideas and innovation. There is much to be gained from the ingenuity of their people.

This is a lesson that leaders continue to learn (and maybe not learn or re-learn) even today. Successful businesses leverage the talents of their people and do not assume that seniority equates with wisdom, omniscience and genius.

Impoverished leaders manage by fear, leading to subordinates that blindly obey commands. Better is to have followers who implement the commander's intent with passion and commitment.

16. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.

To gain the spirit and action of enterprise requires the leader to actively encourage it and not (as many do) coldly suppress it.

Cultivating resources also includes drawing out all kinds of talents from your people, from spying to devising new and cunning strategies and tactics.

People learn what their leaders really want. Saying 'innovate' is like saying 'be spontaneous' -- it does not work. Better is to create the climate and culture that develops talent and focuses it in places where it will be most effective.

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| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

Please help and share:

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

– About
– Guest Articles
– Blog!
– Books
– Changes
– Contact
– Guestbook
– Quotes
– Students
– Webmasters

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

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