| Sun Tzu said: |
Commentary |
| 1. Sun Tzu said: In
the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the
enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not
so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to
destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire
than to destroy them. |
Destroying the enemy
may seem the obvious goal. But capture may result in later wars. Glory
may seem to be only found in battle. The enemy seen as evil deserves to be
punished severely.
Yet this is not the best way. Harming people when it is not
necessary creates enduring enmity. On the other hand, showing superiority without
fighting invokes awe.
A captured force has to give up its weapons. It may be used in
negotiations. Through treating them with respect you may draw the
sting of their anger against you.
In business, it is better to weaken and acquire competitors or go
around them, rather than waging expensive competitive battles. When
you are seen as superior, you may be able to induce their better
people to join you, weakening them further. |
| 2. Hence to fight and
conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme
excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without
fighting. |
If the enemy sees
that you can defeat them with ease, then few will seek simply to
fight to an inevitable and inglorious death. Kindness in capture
also weakens resolve and frames you as morally, as well as
strategically, superior. |
| 3. Thus the highest
form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is
to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is
to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of all
is to besiege walled cities. |
Here are the goals to
seek in your planning. If you can see what the enemy is planning,
you can prepare to pull the rug from beneath their strategic feet.
If you cannot see their plans then you may be able to
outmanoeuvre them before battle is joined. When they see you have a
superior position, they may be forced to concede. Also seek to
prevent allies of the enemy joining with them.
If you must fight, it is better to fight in open space than where
where they have positional advantage.
Siege is covered in more detail in the next point.
The rules are similar for business. If you can anticipate and
out-plan competitors, then you can smoothly and efficiently defeat
them.
|
|
4. The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided.
The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of war,
will take up three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over against the
walls will take three months more.
|
Laying siege
to a strongly defended position is poor in many ways. It is likely
to drag on for a long time. It is hard work and takes much resource.
Your troops are exposed while theirs are hidden. The
sheer cost of siege makes it a final option only. |
| 5. The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the
assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain,
while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a
siege. |
Frustration in the
face of an impregnable enemy is a dangerous companion for any
leader, as is any
emotion
that clouds judgement. In business, managers who are 'action
oriented' and like saying things like 'just do it' without
considering consequences are in danger of significant subsequent
regret. |
