Hill Leadership Working Group: The Art of War
Another month has brought another great meeting of the Hill Leadership Working Group. We read a truly venerable classic, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Emma Sandberg led the discussion, providing a really thoughtful and comprehensive discussion guide. I’m consistently impressed by the degree to which group members are committed to providing, for one another, a stimulating and enjoyable discussion. I posited that this group could achieve that end stimulated by the New York Telephone Directory, but I promise to be thoughtful enough in selecting texts that we won’t have to test that theory. Master Sun’s text provided meaningful stimuli, indeed.
One member raised the question with characteristic directness: “I kept wondering why Chad had us read this book.” The Art of War was written to advise Chinese generals on the strategies and tactics of war, over 2500 years ago. The clarity of many of his insights translates beautifully into both military and civilian leadership today. We uncovered and discussed some of those insights on Wednesday.
That isn’t why I chose the book. Weeks into my first “real job” after college, some basic office politics were teaching me the lesson that the world isn’t fair (and that I was even less smart than I looked, which was no mean feat). A grizzled veteran handed me a copy of The Art of War and said, “Read this if you want to understand what’s going on.” The book has been recommended to me by other people along the way as well, and I kept seeing it on managers’ bookshelves. It often looked unread. That was their loss.
The group uncovered all of the insights I found in the book years ago, and more. Sun reminds the reader of the critical importance of planning, and reminds generals to continually look at situations from multiple perspectives. He also teaches, preaches, and cajoles readers to engage only when they can win, and that the most successful general is one who achieves his ends while avoiding battle altogether. He talks about leadership in terms of moral authority and understands the nature of earning the respect of troops through compassion and especially through discipline.
We also had a very interesting discussion about the role of education and books in preparing leaders. The military, it was pointed out, focuses more on training than on formal education as a means of preparing for war. But, we all agreed that books have the power to inform, to present new ideas, and to stimulate new thinking. I think the group is effective in part because the books provide new ideas that we can then work together to integrate into our daily work lives.
The following were our summary ideas from the discussion:
- Work smarter rather than harder. Constantly evaluate situations and seek the right course of action before acting.
- Understand the morality of rule and of law. This will make the team accountable for upholding the highest standards of conduct.
- Analyze an actual situation in terms of the ideal circumstances. Do not lose sight of either the optimal or the actual situations.
- If you do not have to go to war, do not go.
- Do not put yourself in situations where you cannot be successful.
- Use texts like Sun Tzu for introspection, and to continue to learn and grow throughout your career.
- Great leaders are absolutely committed to developing other great leaders around them.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, February 20, 7:30 – 9:00 AM. The book: Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince. Any translation will do; click here for one option from Amazon.
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Thank you Chad for the insightful post. I look forward to reading your thoughts on the themes in the Prince as the compare to those in The Art of War.
# Posted By Ben Metzler
| 1/29/08 11:54 AM
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