All Aspiring Leaders Should Read and Apply Sun Tzu's Principles Found in the "art of War"

Sun Tzu was not only a warrior and warlord, but was also a philosopher who wrote his ideas down in a text we know call “The Art of War”. His philosophy on Leadership, Strategy, and communication were written over 2000 years ago, but can be successfully applied to today’s challenging business environment.

Sun Tzu’s philosophy is so unique and successful, it is mandatory reading for all managers at the software giant Oracle Systems. Larry Ellison (Oracle Co-Founder and CEO) requires his senior staff to become familiar with Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” and its leadership and winning strategies. “Ellison, 62, is a master of applying Sun Tzu's precepts to the modern-day warfare of business competition, say those who know him. One basic tenet notes a smaller force can beat a larger one by causing its rival to respond before thinking.” (Garner, 2006)

When learning how to manager by being a good leader, we are taught to always lead by example, not to demand the best from my subordinates by threats or preaching consequences, but to demand success and respect by first giving it. To reward excellence, and encourage open communication and teamwork, not dictating tasks and rules. Unknown at the time, these teachings were most likely a direct result of Sun Tzu’s philosophy. His strategy, “A leader leads by example, not by force” is paramount to this lesson. (Fitzpatrick, 2011)

Another Sun Tzu strategy is, “Defend inferiority and encourage his arrogance”. Ellison shows us exactly how to do this. “Larry consistently executes 'The Art of War' better than any CEO,” Salesforce.com CEO Marc Benioff, who has described Ellison as a mentor, said in an interview. “SAP never should have reacted to Oracle's statements because it makes customers and investors view Oracle as a peer to SAP, when they aren't.” (Garner, 2006)

The one simple rule of management