Sun Tzu Art of War – Creating Uncertainty For Rivals
Without ascertainable formations, even the most infiltrated and observant spy will not be able to probe and comprehend, and the wisest strategist will not be able to uncover your plans or plot against you. The victory gained as a result of adapting to the circumstances of the enemy will never be understood by the troops. Everyone may know the formation that I used to secure victory. However, no one will know the ways, methods and reasons behind how I went about creating that victory. Therefore, the victory gained from each battle comes about because strategies and tactics are never repeated. Rather, they should vary according to the circumstances, with infinite possibilities. Chapter Six, Sun Tzu Art of War.
From the above sentence we can extract one extremely valuable business lesson. Let us break the sections into parts and look at them individually to have a good understanding of the lesson.
BUSINESS APPLICATION
From the first two sentences, we can interpret it as a business owner should not provide any amount of certainty for your rivals. As mentioned in my article Sun Tzu Art of War – Preempting Rival’s Strategies, the part about preempting strategies, I have already mentioned that you can use the past reaction or strategies your competitors has used as a guideline for formulating your preemptive strategy. But do note that what I say here can be used by your rival as well. So do you have a fixed way of handling situations or fixed time of having promotions and so on?
These ways of doing business can provide relatively ease for your rivals to formulate their preemptive strategy. So try your best to create as much uncertainty within your control, so that your enemy will incur a high costs and also slow down their process of formulation as further illustrated by the second sentence, if there is no certainty, it would render your competitors’ spy useless and their wisest strategist not able to uncover your plans. Another important point to note is when you create uncertainty; take note that you do not annoy your customers.
Let’s look at the last part of the paragraph.
“Everyone may know the formation that I used to secure victory. However, no one will know the ways, methods and reasons behind how I went about creating that victory. Therefore, the victory gained from each battle comes about because strategies and tactics are never repeated. Rather, they should vary according to the circumstances, with infinite possibilities.”
Human beings have such tendency that once you found something that works for you, you tend to stick to it and use it again and again. But in business, you cannot do that. You have to keep on formulating new strategies and tactics, because your rivals will learn from past engagement with you and formulate their counter strategy to score a win over you. If you keep on using the same strategy on them, sooner or later, they are going to overtake and win you. So your strategy be it for marketing, Research & Development and other areas in your business, you have to be like what Sun Zi said, vary them according to circumstances and strategies with infinite possibilities.
Koo Ping Shung is a renowned author on the subject of “Sun Tzu Art of War” and other related Ancient Chinese Literary Works on Military Strategy and Chinese History.
Ping Shung’s passion in particular is in the exposition of Practical Business Applications gleaned from his vast and in-depth understanding of the applicability of such Ancient Chinese Literary Works to modern day Businesses, Entrepreneurs & Businessmen, and People in the Corporate Hierarchy. To date, he has written on many topics including Strategy Formulation & Execution, and Corporate Leadership.
Read more on Ping Shung’s sharings on the Famous Quotes of Sun Tzu by clicking on “Sun Tzu Quotes“.
About the Author
The Art of War PART 2
![Return of the Jedi [VHS]](http://www.raytthenet.com/send.php?i=aHR0cDovL2VjeC5pbWFnZXMtYW1hem9uLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvSS81MW95dlklMkJoWVFMLl9TTDE2MF8uanBn)
|
Return of the Jedi [VHS]
$11.98
The high-energy, special-effects-laden conclusion to George Lucas’s ambitious Star Wars trilogy delivers the final confrontation between Luke Skywalker (a more confident and mature Mark Hamill) and his nemesis-father, Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones), as the rebel alliance makes its last stand against the evil Empire. The film opens with an impressive set piece in the cave of …
|
|
Wallies Wallpaper Mural
Wallies Butterflies Wallpaper Mural is a new unique way of decorating. The mural is made of pre-pasted, vinyl coated, strippable wallpaper and is easily applied to most smooth surfaces. Work with one mural piece at a time and loosely roll the pieces pattern side out. Submerge in water for 60 seconds, remove the piece from the water, drain off excess water and apply. Wallies Butterflies Wallpaper M…
|
|
Wallies 12238 Camouflage Stars Wallpaper Cutout
$4.95
12238 Features: -Pre-pasted, vinyl coated cutouts.-Decorate walls, glass, wood, paper and more.-Just wet the back and put them up.-Easy to apply or remove and won’t harm walls.-Acid and lignin free.-Washable. Specifications: -Each package is value packed with 25 individual cutouts in 3 styles of stars 3.5” by 3.75” to 4.5” by 4.5”….
|
|
Solar System Wall Vinyl
$27.95
Solar System, Sun, Planets, Space – Easy Stick Vinyl Wall Art Decal. 23″ X 23″. Made in the USA….
|
|
The Emperor and the Assassin
$4.14
Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, has one driving ambition: to unify China’s seven kingdoms into one empire. As this goal turns into a bloody quest, the emperor’s lover begins to question her loyalty to him.Genre: Foreign Film – ChineseRating: RRelease Date: 13-JUN-2000Media Type: DVD…
|
|
Sun Tzu’s the Art of War
$15.91
Sun Tzu's The Art of War has provided strategists with essential advice on battlefield tactics and management strategies for more than two thousand years. In recent years The Art of War has become a cult book for business leaders and is regarded as essential reading for global entrepreneurs seeking to master strategy.
|
|
Sun Tzu’s The Art Of War
$11.16
The oldest known military treatise, Sun Tzu’s the Art of War is still one of the world’s most influential writings on strategic thought. Applicable everywhere from the boardroom to the bedroom, from the playing field to the battlefield, its wisdom has nev
|
|
Sun Tzu’s Art of War
$8.45
A classic! Find inspiration in some of history’s great military victories as others have for over 2,400 years. Sun Tzu was the most famous military scientist, and one of the ablest commanders, in ancient China. Asian warlords, and modern leaders as
|
|
The Art of War
$9.67
Sun Tzu’s Art of War is perhaps the best-known and most highly regarded treatise on strategy yet written. Compiled well over two thousand years ago, its principles are as applicable to the boardroom as they are to the battlefield.Unlike contemporary trans
|
|
The Art Of War
$5.93
The Art of War, by Sun Tzu, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extr
|
|
Art of War
$15.95
The Art of War is almost certainly the most famous study of strategy ever written and has had an extraordinary influence on the history of warfare. The principles Sun-tzu expounded were utilized brilliantly by such great Asian war leaders as Mao Tse-tung,
|
