How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Strength in Offense and Defense

Disciplines > Warfare > Wu Zi's Art of War > Strength in Offense and Defense

Chapter | Observed lessons | Discussion | See also

Chapter

First part : 1 : 6

Observed lessons

• Promote by merit. Have worthy people in charge and those less worthy below them.
• When people fight for less competent officers, they lose respect and are less willing to fight.

Discussion

Getting the right people in the right position seems obvious but is remarkably rare, in military, government and business. This is often because we think we know how good people are, though this over-confidence in our own abilities is proven wrong time and again. It also happens because we promote people who come from the 'right' background, who are good at flattering us or who project a competent image while hiding their incompetencies.

The greater the stress of the situation, the greater the need for competent leaders who others will follow. When times are easy, anyone can manage. When times are tough, it is soon apparent who is the right person for the job. This principle can be used in selection, giving candidates challenging situations and observing carefully how they go about achieving success.

See also

Selection

http://www.chinese-wiki.com/Wu_Zi_Art_of_War