The Art of War

PASADO

PRESENTE

FUTURO

The Best Way to Win is Not to Fight at All.

• Sun Tzu Says, "To win 100 battles is not the height of skill, to subdue the enemy without fighting is."

• Sun Tzu argues that for any situation, man has more than one tool at his disposal.
• Generals should exercise versatility and try to take cities without laying siege.

• Apple's "Think Different" campaign is an example of a company exercising versatility. They are not successful because of direct competition rather due to differentiation.

Choose Your Battles

• Sun Tzu says, "He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

• Armies should only engage when they have a clear advantage.
• Always strive to place yourself in a position of advantage.

• Application of this lesson can be seen in job interviews.
• Company mergers and acquisitions allow for parent companies to align themselves in a position of advantage.

Timing is Essential

• Sun Tzu says, "The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim."

• Sun Tzu argues it is important to be extremely prudent in choosing the timing of when to engage the enemy.
• Having good timing means that you do not hesitate to execute when the time is right, you don't rush in unless the conditions favor it.

• In marketing, it is important to pay attention to what is happening in a market before entering it, and to stay on top of trends, responding to them in real-time.
• Apple's Newton.

No One Profits From Prolong Warfare

• Sun Tzu says, "There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare."

• Sun Tzu advises it is best to strike effectively and quickly, making conflict decisive.

• In the business world, you don't want to drain your resources attacking a rival when you could invest them in your future development.
• Uber Vs DiDi : Both companies burned through billions of dollars competing with one another.

Know Yourself, Know The Enemy

• Sun Tzu says, "It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle."

• It is vitally important to have insight into what the enemy might be attempting to do. It is also important to know one's own corresponding strengths and weakness, and to take into account factors such as the environment, weather, and troop morale.
• Information is vital.

Have a Unique Plan

• Sun Tzu says, "All warfare is based on deception. "

• The military calculus Sun Tzu wanted generals to be adept in was meant to incorporate one's own unique perspective so that it would not be possible for the enemy to anticipate it.

• If a business does the same research as their rivals, the lack of differentiation would likely result in a loss of profits for both companies, as they would both be focusing on the same market areas.
• It is important in life to do the preparation work, but if you really want to win, you should prepare in a way that is either more extensive or more innovative than anyone else.

Disguise Your Plans

• Sun Tzu says, "When able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near."

• Being deceptive of one's plans prevents the enemy from gaining advantage and promotes your own advantage.
• Large corporate monopolies will often take measures to appear smaller, while small startups will claim they are changing the world through the uniqueness of their innovation, even though they might not be at that stage yet.

Change Represents Opportunity

• Sun Tzu says, "In the midst of chaos, there is opportunity."

• Change is one of the most important factors in deciding the outcome of a battle. Sun Tzu emphasizes that anything can happen in warfare, and proposes that generals should always prepare for the worst.
• Sun Tzu also proclaims that the only way to get ahead is to take the right risks.

• Those who remain calm and keep an open mind during a time of uncertainty are best-positioned to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

Success Breeds Success

• Sun Tzu says, "Opportunities multiply as they are seized."

• Sun Tzu noticed that momentum was very important to warfare.
• Momentum allows for the morale of an army to sky rocket, providing a psychological advantage.

• Uber Vs Didi: in 2013 Cheng Wei told Travis Kalanick that he will overtake Uber. At the time Didi was much smaller. Cheng knew it was not the time to challenge Uber for market dominance in China. Instead Cheng focused his attention to overtaking smaller ride hailing apps. Cheng built a head of steam and would eventually outmaneuver Uber in Chinese ride hailing market.
• Baseball.