What I learned from Sun Tzu’s “Art of war” - Pralabh Verma (pralabhv@gmail.com)

“ Art of War” is a “guide” to strategy “ The best of all is not to win every battle by force. The best of all is to make the enemy yield without fighting. So the highest of all military principle is to overcome the enemy by strategy” - Sun Tzu

Because a strategy that “apes” military strategy usually fails

For example “First mover advantage” while a proven military strategy, does not always apply for businesses … else multi billion dollar generic drug industry should not exist!!

Businesses keeping going… Wars come to an end!

But “Art of War” does outline some principles… one among them is five factors of winning Five Factors Five factors of Winning : Moral Law commands commitment and ethics; heaven signifies competitive environment; earth signifies your capabilities; commander embodies leadership; method and discipline determines means of competing in the market place

Here are some that I have found useful… Five Factors

Have a definite objective … Commit fully to it! “ Pursue one great decisive aim with force and determination” – Carl Von Clausewitz

Seize the initiative … Keep it!

“ Concentrate your resources ”… where your competitor is weak! “ The essence of strategy is, with weaker army, always to have more force at crucial point than enemy” – Napoleon

“ Use strategic positioning that is sustainable” Variable One Variable Two Low High Low High

“ Surprise your competitors” “ Whatever a thing may be, be it pleasant or terrible, the less it has been foreseen the more it pleases or frightens” – Xenophon

“ Keep things simple” “ The Simplest moves are the best” - Napoleon

“ Prepare multiple alternatives… use when required” “ If thou take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right, then I will go to the left” – Genesis 13:9

“ Train Hard … for timing and sequencing” “ To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“ Continuous Action … keep exploiting your success” “ When we have incurred the risk of battle, we should know how to profit from the victory, and not merely contend ourselves with the possession of field” – Maurice De Saxe

Principles … Have a definite objective … Commit fully to it! Seize the initiative … Keep it! Concentrate your resources Use sustainable strategic positioning Surprise your competitors Keep things simple Prepare multiple alternatives simultaneously Train Hard… “timing and sequencing” Continuous Action … keep exploiting your success

Have a definite objective … Commit fully to it!

Seize the initiative … Keep it!

Concentrate your resources

Use sustainable strategic positioning

Surprise your competitors

Keep things simple

Prepare multiple alternatives simultaneously

Train Hard… “timing and sequencing”

Continuous Action … keep exploiting your success