The Art Of War Book Review Example

One of the most ancient books, the Art of War written by Sun-tzu in the sixth century BC still holds its value today. The wisdom and facts mentioned by Sun-tzu written in the context of military strategy apply not only to ancient militarism, but also to the daily conflicts, obstacles and goals of life. In the context of business, the Art of War is a guide that mirrors the competition between businesses and militaries. Successful CEO’s of world’s famous companies, namely, Chip Conley of Joie de Vivre and Larry Ellison of Oracle applied the concepts of “The Art of War” to their businesses to reach the peaks of success. The book is a treasure for lawyers and executives in negotiations and winning trials. Sun-tzu was a man of excellence in the art of making war. He took war as an art that can predict the true outcome through thorough organization.
Sun-tzu proposed certain principles and behavioral qualities that a general must possess in order to guide the army to combat and victory. The translation of the principles written on wooden slates into English became the most appreciated work of the corporate world in the twentieth century. Except for the landscape, nothing changed in terms of war and the corporate world. In terms of laying plans in the business, Sun-tzu teaches that a manager must possess three most essential qualities to achieve success in a business. The three qualities are to take the right people for the right job, set the right people in the right position, and manage the resources and expenditures in an efficient way. Also, plans should be dynamic nature depending on the circumstances. Sun-tzu also makes the mention of moral laws, which advise the subordinates to follow the manager without fearing the consequences.
In regards to strategy, Sun-tzu emphasizes on tactics and plans. The goal of the war is to win and not destroy. In business terms, it is important to expand the businesses by making informed decisions and committing the actions to execution. The process of acquisition ensures that the big companies do not destroy the small companies, instead supplement the small companies with their skills. Creating ownership enables learning and knowledge-sharing, which involves taking risks and committing mistakes. The first of victory as proposed by Sun-tzu is to understand one’s own capabilities and limitations. The second step is to know the enemy, followed by the third step, which is to know the battlefield. Success favors those who understand the prevailing conditions existing on the battlefield. The various calamities that an army must withstand are insubordination, ruin, flight, collapse, rout and disorganization.
Pretending to be weak in front of the enemy makes him feel arrogant and increases the chances of committing mistakes. In a war, the warrior must know when to fight and when not to fight, and capable of handling both inferior and superior forces. Good fighters do not ever think about defeat, instead wait for the right opportunity to defeat the enemy. A general must maintain a balance between rewards and punishments. Too frequent rewards empty the resources and too frequent punishments lead to disaffection and distress. Comparing the army with that of the enemy’s army helps to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. The five most dangerous faults that might affect the general are recklessness, cowardice, hasty temper, over-solicitude and honor. Treating the army with the same benchmark lowers the moral of the army and increases the chances of failure.
Sun-tzu suggests that it is important to understand each individual unit thoroughly. In an organization, the manager must understand that not all employees are equal, instead identify each employee’s individual qualities and place them in the right position. Sun-tzu advises that punishing the soldiers for their misdeeds enables them to stand strong even in the moment of death. Defense is an important mechanism in the case of defeat; however, if one desires to win, he must follow the concept of offense and know the weakness of the enemy. In fact, war is the concept of mix and match between offense and defense. Sun-tzu describes a clever fighter as the one who not only wins, but wins with ease. A true fighter’s victories bring him neither credit for wisdom nor reputation for courage. The art of war lies in conjuration and knowing the self and the foe.
In order to know the enemy, Sun-tzu suggests converting spies into allies. Ranking the spies at the top helps to bring major news from the enemy frontiers. The skills and techniques mentioned by Sun-tzu in “The Art of War” extend to the concept of emotional intelligence. People come across various situations in life; while some situations are unique, others are similar. Sun-tzu explains that it is important to react in a creative and flexible way, rather ignorantly. Distance, barriers and dangers are the obstacles of life. As Sun-tzu claims, life is a war, which needs a strategy in order to live in a happier and healthier way. The book is a treasure that finds its place in various sectors, including politics. “The Art of War” is one of the best-selling books that sends a message to the readers as to how one should deal with their lives, the same way as how a general deals with his enemies in the war.