In this column Hector Torres will highlight two principles expounded by Sun Tzu, the Chinese warrior who wrote The Art of War in 500 BC.
by Héctor R. Torres, PhD, CPP, CFE, CHS*
A fraternal greeting from Puerto Rico to all colleagues and readers of this column! It is a pleasure to share again with you. In the previous columns I was reviewing the strategies in the security business and how we can be more effective managers.
In this column I want to highlight two principles expounded by Sun Tzu, the Chinese warrior who wrote The Art of War in 500 BC. It is interesting to note the fact that today this text is required reading in all military schools of the world and for war scholars. More shocking is the fact that the strategies and principles of Sun Tzu's book can be applied in the business world and especially in the security business.
Vision
In order to apply the strategies and principles of The Art of War, you have to understand that every "war" or strategic business management begins with the vision of what you want to achieve. The vision of what an organization wants to achieve has to be based on a detailed plan that takes into account the reality of its operational or business environment.
With this vision, the purpose, mission, values and a living image of the future of the organization are clearly articulated. From this vision, leaders can determine the main strategy, establish strategic initiatives and align the organization. When we develop this vision, it must be clarified that any plan to carry it out must have a certain degree of flexibility to deal with the unexpected.
A plan that is too rigid requires meticulous planning and absolute obedience in its execution which is neither practical nor realistic in the business world of the 21st century. All of us who have been military and have participated in armed conflicts know that the best military plans fall to the ground after the first five minutes of contact. The same applies in the business world.
It is important to understand that it is not the strategists who change the plans but the reality of the operational environment. Therefore, when we develop our plan to carry out our vision, we must first thoroughly analyze the operational environment.
Five Principles for Analyzing the Operational Environment
Sun Tzu explains in The Art of War that: "War is of vital importance to the state; a matter of life and death, the path to survival or ruin. Therefore, it is imperative that it be carefully studied." Therefore, to conduct a study on the results of a war, one must compare the different conditions of antagonists in terms of five constant factors:
* Moral Influence
* Climate
* Land
* The Commander
* The Doctrine
These five factors should be known by everyone. He who dominates them will win; he who will not be defeated."
* Moral Influence
In terms of The Art of War, moral influence refers to the cause for which a state decides to enter a war. If the cause is noble then the warriors enter with the conviction that for that cause the war is worth it. This cause is what inspires these warriors to fight and awakens in them a fighting spirit. In terms of business, the cause must encourage entrepreneurship, competitiveness and inspire in all employees a commitment to the vision of the organization.
* Climate
In terms of The Art of War, climate refers to how atmospheric conditions impact the operational environment. Solid terrain that facilitates movement on the battlefield can become inaccessible by constant rains lagging behind or stopping an attack. In business terms, climate refers to external environmental factors or forces that can impact the execution of a business plan. These external factors or forces can be identified when we perform an analysis of the organization using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,
Threats) or better known in the Spanish language as SWOT (Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Threats).
* Land
In The Art of War, the terrain is where the various battles and operations are carried out to meet the strategic objectives and carry out the strategy of the war Knowledge of the terrain is essential to achieve the planning and execution of the required operations. Not possessing this knowledge is entering a blind battle. In business, land refers to the market and all that it entails in terms of population, product, price, promotion and place.
* The Commander
In The Art of War, the commander refers to the leadership or leaders who carry out the military strategy. The same applies to the organization that carries out its plan to achieve its vision in the business environment. Today more than ever, entrepreneurs with a high level of leadership are required to deal with the multiple challenges presented by the global market. Leadership based on experience and intuition. There is no better warrior than an experienced warrior.
* The Doctrine
In terms of The Art of War, the doctrine refers to military principles and tactics that should be used to ensure victory on the battlefield at the lowest possible cost. Never would a general send light infantry troops against armored units, the result would be disastrous. The same would apply in the business world where doctrine becomes the principles that guide the organization to be successful and survive in a volatile environment. An example of this is never spending more than the organization can receive in revenue. To do this is to lead the organization to safe ruin.
In conclusion, if we use these principles of The Art of War we can ensure success in the volatile and changing world of business. We must approach our planning and the execution of our business plan with the same care and conscientious study of an ancient warrior to ensure victory on the battlefield that is our business world.
Sun Tzu and his wisdom is a worthy example to emulate. For more information on the principles of The Art of War I suggest Gerald and Steven Michaelson's book Sun Tzu, The Art of War for Managers (2nd edition) published by Adams Media (www.adamsmedia.com). I invite you to continue to share your ideas and concerns of the world and security management.
A hug and see you next time!
* If you wish you can write to the author of this article by email: [email protected]
