The Art Of War By Sun Tzu Analysis

What is leadership, and how do we attain the best and most effective leaders? These are questions that are as old as civilization itself. Bass (1974) wrote that, “from its infancy, the study of history has been the study of leaders” (as cited in Wren, 1995, p. 50). Since the study of history in the West is commonly held to begin with Herodotus of ancient Athens, it is not surprising that we should examine the historical views of leadership through the eyes of two titans of Greek thought: Plato and Aristotle.

7. “The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into sphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise…make the masses to comfortable.”

The Art of War was written in part due to military conquests he had achieved early on in his career. Later observed as the most well-known and celebrated of “China’s Seven Military Classics.” The Shiji record asserts that Sun demonstrated his models on the battlefield; a well-recognized example of his strategy was Battle of Boju. Sun Tzu efficaciously out contrived the much larger Chu militaries ultimately defeating them. The Art of War was one of the most widely read military texts in the Warring States Period (475–221 BC). In his book, he outlined the key components to absolute victory in warfare by defeating the enemy using their weaknesses against them and minimizing one’s causalities; decisively maximizing resources; but can it be used against the war on terror? The Art of War is one of the most powerful literary guidelines detailing how a true leader should wage war. Sun Tzu’s knowledge is still thought of as useful in the modern times. However, his advice shouldn’t be adopted and followed as the only means to the end. But it is good guideline for any leader to follow in order to be effective in the

statement, which connects to almost every war. In the book Under the Persimmon Tree, the main

Leadership is a big deal in today’s culture and in history. A good leader with great leadership has the potential to lead a sports team to a championship. It can be the deciding factor in a war between two nations because whoever has the better leader in the war with the right strategies will come up with a victory. A right leader in the government system can also lead the nation to prosperity and wealth or, can break a nation and drive the nation into a state of depression. Leadership is everywhere and the right leader will lead you to do remarkable things.

The cry for power and the hidden war that results turns friends against each other, and makes the wise ignorant; thus, one must be careful to avoid greed, to fight for a righteous cause, so that even upon death, one dies

Leadership many times can be misinterpreted by many individuals. Leadership is an ability that not everyone is meant to have nor develop. In fact, many can be called, “leaders” but that does not imply that their leadership role plays a positive impact on others. At times, some people seek leadership in a form to only obtain power and abuse it for their own self-interest. While there are others that create great influences to following generations. For instance, there are those like Plato and Thomas Jefferson who have established philosophical thoughts that for past centuries, have revolutionized many people’s ideals. Through their principles many people have identified, what they consider can exemplify, true characteristics that make someone have successful leadership qualities. In their own way, they have influenced others, with the purpose to communicate a foundation of important ideals which have helped guide many. Whether it is one or a group of individuals. Many people should consider in practicing and adapting to those philosophical principles, manifested in Plato’s, “The Allegory of the Cave” and Thomas Jefferson's, “The Declaration of Independence” essay who illustrate certain ideals and aspects of leadership in their own unique way.

In the primary sources, Sun Tzu's Art of War and Tyrtaeus's Praise of Virtuosity of Citizen Soldier both have a sense on the war aspect. While analyzing and examining both documents the focus will be on: main ideas, speakers and audiences, how the documents reflect the societies, gender, and personal criticisms. Sun Tzu's main idea in the Art of War excerpt is to explain the basic rules of warfare and gives military leaders advice on when and how to fight. Throughout the document Sun Tzu he goes into detail about positional strategy. In the first chapter he uses the strategy "Laying Plans", which is governed by five constant factors: The Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, The Commander, and Method and Discipline.

A leader should not intervene in people’s lives, but he could assist people only when it is needed. In the poem, Lao-Tzu illustrates what a leader should be doing: “The Master leads

1. This chapter suggests that leadership has a moral dimension and that leaders have a responsibility to use their authority for the common good. Do you agree? Discuss

Griffith examines battles in which Sun Tzu was thought to service as commander. I did suchlike the verbal description of the battles among the militant states as Griffith reconstructed them; they were very elaborated including initial troop deployment followed by the three phases of the battle. In order to paint a better veiw the divisions of Sun Tzu's time, Griffith provides background detail on the three warring states Ch'u, Wu, and Yueh. Although, I found these particular passages quite interesting I have never enjoyed learning about

Sun Tzu understood the nature of war as “the province of life or death,” and a “matter of vital importance to the state.”1 I agree. In my own experience, war awakens your primordial instincts and strips you of your self-rationalizations. Sun Tzu defined the character of war when he wrote, “water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.”2 Accordingly, Sun Tzu’s principals of war offer a framework adequate to explain the nature and character of 21st century warfare, which I rationalize as a near-continuous battle of ideologies fought through asymmetric means to advance the values and interests of state and non-state actors.

In all lines of work, society needs a leader that takes pride and trusts his own people. A leader that lets go. Lau-tzu agrees, as he suggests, that while “the master governs, the people are hardly aware he exists” (206). Lau-tzu’s ideas consist of people having a leader, but not necessarily being controlled by one. People should be able to make his or her own decisions. When a leader governs people too strictly it can cause mistrust, which can cause a collision between the people and the leader. A leader should want his people to feel powerful instead of powerless by restraining them. Lau-tzu says, when the leaders “work is done the people should say “amazing: we did it all by ourselves!” (207). This accomplishment made by the people will encourage them to serve towards greater things on their own. Lau-tzu says, “Throw away morality and justice, and people will do the right thing. Throw away industry and profit, and there won’t be any thieves” (207). Lau-tzu’s thoughts show that people will automatically do the right thing if you don’t tell them what they can and cannot do. If the leader takes out these certain aspects of life, the people will do what is right. The best leader barely leads at all.

E. Walk and talk - in his view the leaders must do what they say and say what they do. And he required the top management team is highly visible and what they think, what they say and what they do must be same. They have to be impeccable in ensuring that they worlds correspond to their action.

What is the ‘Principles of War'? An answer for this can be said that the ‘Principles of War' apart from wars itself can aid to understanding strategic rules that can be used in conducting military operations, law, business and life on the hold. This has stood the test of practice, experimentation and analysis by a Chinese philosopher called Sun Tzu, circa 500 BC who captured the essence of his philosophies in a book called ‘Sun Tzu on the Art of War'. To any country or state the ‘Art of War'