Managing Teams Through Constructive Conflict
Sun Tzu on when to engage and when to wait “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” — Sun Tzu You walk into your business and sense the unspoken tension. Two team members are barely speaking. Tasks are slipping. The mood feels off. You hope it’ll blow over. The […]
Building Unstoppable Momentum
Sun Tzu on how the flow gets strong “When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum.” — Sun Tzu In a business, the heaviest obstacles aren’t usually moved by brute force. They’re moved by momentum. Like water gaining strength as it flows, momentum builds over time and starts to carry things that […]
Every Move Matters
Sun Tzu on planning without waste “In planning, never a useless move; in strategy, no step taken in vain.” — Sun Tzu If you’re like most owners I know, you’re busy almost all the time. Being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. Days get filled with tasks that feel urgent but don’t contribute to long-term […]
Finding Opportunity in Chaos
Sun Tzu on what AI is doing to your industry This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across this: “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” It made me think about the wild and rapid changes artificial intelligence is bringing to nearly every industry. For small businesses, AI is shaking up […]
Visionary Leadership
Sun Tzu on seeing what others miss “To foresee a victory which the ordinary man can foresee is not the acme of skill.” — Sun Tzu This morning, reading The Art of War, I came across the story of Han Hsin. His strategy seemed absurd. His own generals doubted him. The Chao army mocked him […]
Focus on What You Can Control
Sun Tzu and the Serenity Prayer agree This morning I read this: “That which depends on me, I can do; that which depends on the enemy cannot be certain.” — Sun Tzu The passage reminds me of the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to […]
Timing is Everything
Sun Tzu on when to move and when to wait “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.” Timing can make or break a business. Sun Tzu understood this well. Acting too soon wastes resources. Waiting too long risks losing your advantage. For small business owners, knowing when to act […]
Passing the Torch
Sun Tzu on choosing who runs the business next “The wrong person cannot be appointed to command. Lin Hsiang-ju, the Prime Minister of Chao, said: ‘Chao Kua is merely able to read his father’s books, and is as yet ignorant of correlating changing circumstances. Now Your Majesty, on account of his name, makes him the […]
Meetings That Matter
Sun Tzu on the cost of mobilizing people “In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li, the expenditure at home and at the front… will reach the total of […]
Know Yourself, Know Your Competition
Sun Tzu on the two things you need to see clearly “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Sun Tzu’s advice isn’t just for generals. It’s a lifeline for small business owners. To build a business that lasts, you need to understand two things. […]
Clarity or Chaos
Sun Tzu on what confusion costs you You know the feeling. The business is spinning its wheels. Everyone’s busy. Nothing moves forward. Instead of confidently working toward your goals, you’re putting out fires and reacting to the next thing in front of you. It’s exhausting. Most of the time it traces back to one thing: […]
Competent Leadership, Cohesive Teams
Sun Tzu on what happens when leaders don’t know the work This morning I read this from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: “If one ignorant of military matters is sent to participate in the administration of the army, then in every movement, there will be disagreement and mutual frustration, and the entire army will […]