#10 The 7 Elements of Victory: Sun Tzu’s Timeless Strategy for Business and Leadership Success

Basing on the five fundamental factors, these seven elements provide a quick check-list for assessing our chances of success.

1. Which ruler possesses the moral law?

If you still remember, moral law is the compass pointing people towards the right action and behavior. It is best reflected in a mission statement as it directs the way to treat certain parties – employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, etc. If people see fhe mission is objective, fair and just, they will support it. Just as soldiers will fight hard for a worthy cause, employees will diligently serve supportive customers. Any organization which fails to live up to its mission, can expect its disillusioned stakeholders to withdraw their support.

2. Whose commander is the most capable?

People are naturally drawn towards winners, or those they perceived as winners. A person’s reputation for the earlier taught “five virtues” gets around. If people look up to us, we can expect their support. However, if we are unknown, or worse, have a bad reputation, they will shy away from us. Later, I will share more on how to cultivate your character so as to grow and maintain a good reputation.

3. Which army obtains the advantages of heaven and earth?

Advancement in science and technology has changed people’s lifestyles tremendously. Young highly-educated job-seekers are drawn towards corporations whose climate is more conducive. They seek organizations that are warm, cohesive, and cheerful. If our competitors can offer better, we may lose the brains to them.

In the past, victorious generals were those capable of positioning themselves to take advantage of the terrain, e.g. occupying higher ground with their backs to the sun. Today, businessmen must cleverly seek and position their operations in locations that offer cost advantages. They should be knowledgeable of the markets they operate in so as to position their products and services for optimum results.

4. On which side are regulations and instructions carried out better?

An organization whose members are disciplined in observing rules and carrying out instructions will have the edge over another where orders are not followed. Although I often advocate bending rules to suit the circumstances, rules and instructions are still necessary, especially when many people are involved. While experience can teach us to go by the book or not, it is generally better to follow instructions.

5. Which army is the stronger?

Just basing on the answers to the earlier four questions, we should be able to foresee the results and so, place our bets when evaluating two or more competitors.

6. Which has the better trained officers and men?

The answer should add weight to our assessment. Organizations that invest in training and developing their personnel are usually market leaders because they attract the best brains. To be niggardly in cutting training cost also means not preparing their people to compete effectively.

7. In which army is there certainty of rewards and punishments being dispensed?

Generally, people like to be appreciated. Capable people choose organizations that pay well, not those “paying peanuts and getting monkeys” types. They are not “monkeys” but smart guys who know they would not be shortchanged. In addition, set up a system to reward good performers with promotions or bonuses.

This system must not tolerate poor performances. Although people dislike being punished, they will find it unfair if bad performers are unpunished or worse, rewarded. A tolerance for poor performers will demoralize capable personnel.