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nfortunately, we are all too often saddled with the news of hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes or pandemics. All of these “natural occurrences” can disrupt business activity. And, as we know, some businesses survive these situations with extra effort, and some do not!
We also all too often hear news of ongoing war(s). Regardless of how you feel about the strategy and tactics in these constantly occurring human-to-human “engagements,” there are critical principles that apply to both war and management.
A working understanding of these time-tested principles from the fifth century can help you address the battles in your industry and in your business. The Art of War
written by Sun Tzu makes it clear that information does matter. His thesis is that an educated guess is better than a gut decision. Sun Tzu thought that generals should be adept at using “military calculus.” This is simply taking into account anything and everything that could affect the outcome of a battle. These principles are clearly applicable to business in general and to survival when the changing environment is awfully hard to understand.
Every Business Owner Should Review these Principles on a Regular Basis!
Develop all your plans and then manage daily activity based on an understanding of how each principle effects the performance of your business. If you do not have a large overriding measure of these principles “showing up” in your plans, they may not provide the path and results desired. As you craft all of your projects, be sure you apply these principles.
Objective
. You must have a clearly defined and obtainable set of objectives.
(You must know where you want to go, measure progress, and understand the benefits of succeeding and the risks of different outcomes.)
Offense
. Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative.
(To succeed, management must continuously “out market” and “out serve” the competition. When customers are starting to reestablish buying relationships, this is the difference maker.)
Mass.
Concentrate forces at the decisive time and place.
(Know how and where to apply the strength and all the hidden assets of the company to the market place to provide benefits for the customer. Be sure to focus effort and limited capital to create a competitive advantage)
Economy of Force.
The mirror image of Mass—keep the minimum of force at non-critical points.
(Don’t squander effort and assets on tasks with a low probability of success. Priority use of assets and personnel is a must in difficult times.)
Maneuver.
Don’t be a sitting duck.
(Stay flexible, assess trends, and adjust plans in accord with changing information.)
Unity of Command.
Too many chefs spoil the broth.
(Leadership is critical; make sure the operating structure and management responsibility and accountability enhance the decision-making process.)
Surprise.
Do what they won’t expect.
(Outthink the competition, be creative, learn to take measured, well-timed risks.)
Security.
Make sure they do not surprise you.
(Constantly research the market, systematically study customers and analyze the competition, and be prepared to handle any new developments quickly.)
Simplicity.
Complicated plans are a formula for disaster in the chaos of war.
(Carefully choose the right strategy, understand the critical elements for success, and plan accordingly.)
If all your plans and actions follow these principles, YOUR business will surely benefit and consequently survive in the short term and thrive in the long term.