Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun TzuRead
By altering his arrangements and changing his plans, the skillful general keeps the enemy without definite knowledge. By shifting his camp and taking circuitous routes, he prevents the enemy from anticipating his purpose. At the critical moment, the leader of an army acts like one who has climbed up a height and then kicks away the ladder behind him.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A successful leader adapts and surprises the enemy to maintain the upper hand.
This quote by Sun Tzu emphasizes the importance of adaptability and unpredictability in leadership, particularly in the context of military strategy. By altering plans and keeping the enemy guessing, a general can maintain control over the situation and ensure that their intentions remain concealed, allowing for strategic advantages at critical moments.
Themes
LeadershipStrategyAdaptabilityMilitaryControlSurprise
In practice
Example use cases
In a business meeting discussing strategy, to emphasize the importance of flexibility in plans.
More from Sun Tzu
All quotes →Great results, can be achieved with small forces.
Sun TzuRead
To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.
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The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.
Sun TzuRead
You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
Sun TzuRead
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Sun TzuRead
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