“The Art of War,” written 2500 years ago, essentially centres on achieving victory in warfare through strategic manoeuvres and stratagems. Despite its ancient origins, the book still bears relevance to contemporary times due to its significant impact. Currently, it is extensively read by prominent military figures, business moguls, economists, and political authorities, seeking to augment their sway. Its integration into military and business academia stems from the profound insights that it offers. For individuals aspiring to attain leadership positions or striving to enhance their leadership acumen, this book is indispensable.
The book stands as a monumental work by the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, revered for its legendary and mythical essence. Translated into numerous languages, the book captivates readers with its groundbreaking and contemplative narrative. I personally found the book unputdownable when I first laid my hands on it as it is replete with path breaking and thought provoking content. It continues to enchant the readers with its rhythmic and poetic allure, given its insights and wisdom that strongly lay emphasis on winning any war even if it is fought at a micro level. The readers are left mesmerized with its mythical style of writing.
Let me explore and elucidate why it is still relevant today. By its name, the book sounds like a war strategy book but the author expands the concept of war to encompass any form of chaos or conflict. Thus, the strategies outlined in the book are aimed at resolving these conflicts. Each individual contends with personal battles, facing various challenges and adversities throughout life. However, each kind of such war can be bravely fought and won, provided the strategies explained in the book are properly executed and acted upon. The author places emphasis by saying, “know your enemy and know yourself and in hundred battles you will never be in peril.”
The statement is rather illuminating, resonating with myriad facets of our existence. It underscores the cruciality of recognizing oneself and one’s adversary in the quest for triumph. Here, the term “enemy” does not pertain to a literal enemy, but rather to one’s aims, aspirations, and the objectives one seeks to accomplish. Similarly, “knowing oneself” pertains to understanding the competencies and capacities necessary for realizing these goals. The author further goes on saying ‘all warfare is based on deception’. To hoodwink enemies or forming some sort of deception around your enemies is a precursor to victory. As long as he is deceived, all his strategic plans bear him no results. If your plans are laid bare, It will empower your enemy which increases the chances of losing the war. Sun Tzu wonderfully says it by quoting, ‘when able to attack we must seem unable. When using our force we must seem inactive. When we are near we must make the enemy believe that we are far away. When far away we must make him believe that we are near.’ The statement is simply breathtaking as it reveals how deception can be created around enemies. In this remarkable book, he continues to say, ‘let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night and when you fall like a thunderbolt.’ The meaning that can be drawn from it is: never reveal to your enemies what you are upto. Warfare is synonymous with deception.
This book comes to rescue while making moves on daily basis, it even makes meticulous calculations about those moves, thereby minimising the chances of losing a war of any kind. The core message of the book, in my view, is that achieving victory without engaging in conflict is an apt approach..’ These words sum it up all elegantly. Although, the writer devotes the book to winning a war and simultaneously prevents us from fighting it. Basically Sun Tzu believed in human brain and intellect and in the book, he lays stress upon our brain which is so sharp that it draws consequences of the fight even before it begins. An enemy can be defeated through negotiations, diplomacies, researches and analysis without waging a war. Because war brings about bloodshed and damages that are irreparable thereby depleting all the resources of the state. He makes it distinct when he says, ‘military tactics are like unto water, for water in its natural course runs away from high places and moves downwards. So in wars, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike what is weak. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponents and thereby succeed in winning may be called a “heaven born captain.”
The best captain is the one who makes changes in his plans with reference to his opponent. There is another ground breaking statement that Sun Tzu talks about in his book: “When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization.” When a leader works without authority, his command becomes crippling and indistinct. So he is disoriented and most certainly will fail to delegate his assigned work. He will lack the authority of nurturing and grooming people, as a result chaos and disorder will set in his organization. Be it a war general or corporate leader, he has to be brimmed with clarity and thought and his team management skills should be of supreme value. Then only in his organization and company sanity prevails. From a soldierly perspective, he makes a noteworthy statement which carries meaning and has to be retained, “regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look at them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.” If you treat your soldiers and companions as your children, they will lay down their lives, in case you are threatened.
In these words lay a thought provoking insight for managers who keep bombarding their employees with harsh treatments and bitter remarks. These managers, in spite of the fact that it may negatively affect their staff members’ morale, feel that this strategy is required to produce results. That being said, this runs counter to the lessons that Sun Tzu gave in his work. He said that people who you treat well would support you no matter what, even if it means giving their life. ‘The Art of War’ provides significant insights into leadership and team management. The book provides outstanding advice for anyone hoping to hold a leadership position within their businesses or organisations.