To win a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the hallmark of skill. The acme of skill is to subdue the enemy without even fighting.

—The Art of War

One who excels in warfare does not await the deployment of forces.

One who excels at eliminating the misfortunes of people manages them before they appear.

Conquering the enemy means being victorious over the formless.
The superior fighter does not engage in battle.
Thus one who fights and attains victory in front of naked blades is not a good general.
One who makes preparations after the battle is not a superior Sage!

—The Six Secret Teachings

You start with an idea—a notion—about

something you want to do or something you want to get or someone you want to become.

Before you take action or even make an action plan, you should first take a moment and see if it’s worth it.

To borrow a business term, you need to do a “feasibility study.”

You need to gather as much quality information as you can roughly estimate the feasibility of the project.

Or in terms of conflict, this is an initial “sizing up” of the opponent in the environment.

For instance, the annoying loudmouth at the bar often has a crew to back him up, so you might want to think twice before telling him that he is an annoying loudmouth.

You must answer “Yes” to 3 questions (or maybe 2 out of 3) to move past this initial stage when any action.

1. Are there definite advantages to be gained?

2. Is my defense solid?

3. Is there is a high probability of victory?

1.          There are definite advantages to be gained.

Do not move unless there are definite advantages to be gained; do not use troops unless you can succeed; do not fight unless you are in danger.

—The Art of War

Don’t allow yourself to get pulled into a conflict that you are not suited, or ready, for due to emotional reasons.

One of the most difficult things in life is to control your emotions.

To achieve this control, we must be ever vigilant.

A ruler must not start a war out of anger; A general must not fight a battle out of resentment.
Engage only when it is in the interest of the State; Cease when it is to its detriment.

—The Art of War

2.          Your defense is solid

In ancient times, those adept at warfare first made themselves unbeatable and waited for opportunities to defeat the enemy.

—The Art of War

You can think of “defense” as “worst case scenario” thinking. If I pursue this course of action, what is the worst thing that can happen?

Sometimes it’s the best course of action to work “bottom-up.”

You figure out what the worst thing is that can happen and then you continually work to make that worst case scenario slightly better.

You keep working at improving your “base rate” until there is a relatively low margin for “failure.”

3.          There is a high probability of victory

There are rarely things in life that are one hundred percent certain, but strategy and strategic advantage can dramatically increase the odds of a certain outcome.

Those that the ancients referred to as excelling in warfare conquered those who were easy to conquer.
Thus the victories of those that excelled in warfare were not marked by fame for wisdom or courageous achievement.
Thus their victories were free from error.
One who is free from error directs his measures toward certain victory, conquering those who are already defeated.

—The Art of War

If you choose a course of action where the odds are highly stacked in your favor, your victory will be “free from error”.

So, how do you go about determining the feasibility of a proposed course of action?

There is one “quick and dirty” method that will pretty much get to the heart of the matter right away.

He who has a thorough knowledge of himself and the enemy is bound to win in all battles.
He who knows himself but not the enemy has only a fifty percent chance of winning.
He who does not know himself or the enemy is bound to perish in all battles.

—The Art of War

You should also factor in external variables as much as possible.

Know your enemy, know yourself, and your victory will not be threatened.
Know the terrain, know the weather, and your victory will be complete.

—The Art of War

You can do a quick appraisal of the situation by examining your strengths and weaknesses vis-àvis the competition in that particular context.

After you’ve done that, you can do a more detailed analysis.

A thorough analysis involves the examination of 8 key factors.

1. Moral influence

2. Generalship / Command

3. Climate

4. Terrain

5. Doctrine/ Law

6. Troop Strength

7. Training of Troops

8. Discipline (System of Punishment and

Reward)

Most of these factors involve Social and Structural aspects, so I will only touch on them briefly here.

In this module, we will look at the factors of Generalship / Command in greater detail.

1.          Moral Influence

Moral influence is symbolic of the external factor of the “ruler” in the environment.

For example, in business the political leadership of the country affects the entire context for business in that country.

2.          Generalship / Command

There are 5 important attributes of the general.

1. Wisdom

2. Sincerity

3. Benevolence

4. Courage

5. Strictness

The Sage takes his signs from the movements of Heaven and Earth.

He accords with the way of yin and yang, and follows their seasonal activity.

He follows the cycles of fullness and emptiness of Heaven and Earth, taking them as his constant.
All things have life and death and in accord with the form of Heaven and Earth.

–The Six Secret Teachings

Wisdom is the ability to recognize changing circumstances and act accordingly.

Sincerity means the ability to gain trust from your working group.

Benevolence means the ability to empathize and sympathize with others—be able to see and feel the world from other people’s perspectives.

Courage suggests the ability to be decisive and capitalize on opportunities without hesitation.

Strictness is the ability to have self-discipline and instill discipline in others.

The Six Secret Teachings refer to a very similar list of positive traits.

If he is courageous he cannot be overwhelmed.
If he is wise he cannot be forced into turmoil.
If he is benevolent he will love his men.
If he is trustworthy he will not be deceitful.
If he is loyal he won’t be of two minds.

In addition, Sima Fa has this to add:

The mind must embody benevolence and actions should incorporate righteousness.
Relying on the nature of things is wisdom; relying on the great is courage; relying on longstanding relations leads to good faith.
Yielding results in harmony.

Aside from these positive qualities that a general needs to foster, there are some common weaknesses which can afflict a general.

Below is a list of weaknesses and how to capitalize on them.

You would first want to use this knowledge to protect yourself. If necessary, you could use these points to leverage your enemy.

If reckless, he can be killed.
If cowardly, he can be captured.
If easily angered, he is easily provoked.
If sensitive to honor, he can easily be insulted.
If overly compassionate, he can easily be harassed.

—The Art of War

One who is courageous and treats death lightly can be destroyed by violence.
One who is hasty and impatient can be destroyed by persistence.
One who is greedy and loves profit can be bribed.
One who is benevolent but unable to inflict suffering can be worn down.
One who is wise but fearful can be distressed.
One who is trustworthy and likes to trust others can be deceived.
One who is scrupulous and incorruptible but doesn’t love men can be insulted.
One who is wise but indecisive can be suddenly attacked.
One who is resolute and self-reliant can be confounded by events.
One who is fearful and likes to entrust responsibility to others can be tricked.

–The Six Secret Teachings

3.          Climate

Climate is the varying weather conditions, seasons, temperatures, and cycles of day and night.

These climatic conditions refer to externals that are out of your control.

4.          Terrain

Terrain refers to fixed external factors. Terrain will determine the type of strategies that can be employed.

To give a military example, in a conflict in the Middle-East, the openness of the terrain dictates which types of military strategies can be used, the types of weaponry and the ways in which troops can be employed.

Terrain is not the same as Ground.

Battlegrounds are not necessarily fixed.

The general can decide on what type of battleground he wishes to engage the enemy.

The Ground or battlefield is a variable factor and more or less controllable.

5.          Doctrine or Law

This factor suggests the overall organization and structure of a group.

In military terms, this would mean the designation of ranks, allocation of responsibilities, management of supply routes and provisions of the army.

In a business context, this would be the different departments and the specific roles each of those departments play in the overall organization.

6.    Troop Strength

This refers to numerical aspects of the group and their equipment or resources.

In business, this can refer to relative strengths and weaknesses in terms of human resources, management, capital reserves, technology, markets and so on.

7.          Training

This refers to the training or education of the group.

While overall numbers can be an important factor, training can also be vital in determining outcomes.

For example, smaller, expertly trained fighting units, like the U.S. Navy SEALs can have as much impact as an entire army, if deployed in a strategic way.

And in business, many stock investors will do a thorough examination of a company’s top personnel before buying the stock.

The few people in leadership positions, and their level of training and expertise, impact the organization significantly.

8.          Discipline

While the general must exhibit self-discipline and lead by example, discipline here refers to the system of punishment and reward used to motivate and regulate members of the group.

The 8 factors: You and the Enemy

Just as a good general must appraise these factors before going to war, you must carefully weigh these variables in your assessment.

These factors are evaluated in relation to your competition.

You must choose if this course of action is appropriate for you.

You must know the enemy and know yourself.
When I was about to engage in battle, I first
evaluated the enemy’s mind by comparing it
with my mind to determine who was more controlled.
Only then could I know myself.

–Questions and Replies

A final word on situation appraisal, it is best to concentrate your forces at the point of highest leverage.

However, there are other tools in the strategy toolkit like adaptability and innovation.

If there is something you really want to do and you do a situational appraisal and it looks like you don’t have a good chance of succeeding— do it anyway.

Perhaps I am counteracting everything I’ve said up to this point, but there is more than one way to skin a dog.

At times you have to go against the odds.

As my friend Mr. Wang used to say, “You must try. You must do your best.”

Sometimes you must trust that you can adapt as the situation calls for it.

As Emerson said, “Do the thing and you will have the power.”

If you have a strong enough desire to something, then you will succeed despite circumstances.

If you don’t have that burning desire to put the concept into action and the initial appraisal doesn’t look too promising, then go back and revise the initial idea until it becomes more feasible.

Before the engagement, one who determines in the ancestral temple that he will be victorious has found that the majority of factors are in his favor.
Before the engagement one who determines in the ancestral temple that he will not be victorious has found few factors are in his favor.
If I observe it from this perspective, victory and defeat will be apparent.

—The Art of War

If there is a definite advantage to be gained, the worst case scenario is not that bad and you have a high probability for victory, then move on to the next step—

Formulation of Goals and Strategies.

It might seem like all this planning and formulating and evaluating is a lot of work and a waste of time, but by doing all this preparation you are saving a lot of time and effort in the long run.

Laozi pointed out that when a problem is difficult to recognize, it is easy to solve.

When it is easy to recognize, it is difficult to solve.

It’s easy to recognize when it is a big problem.

Since it is a big problem, it is difficult to deal with.

At this planning stage you want to recognize the problems, so you can change them now.

You want to foresee major difficulties and “nip ‘em in the bud.”

If trickling streams are not blocked they will
become great rivers.
If you don’t extinguish the smallest flames, what will you do about a great inferno?
If you do not eliminate the two-leaf sapling, how will you use your ax when the tree has grown?

–The Six Secret Teachings

Strategy must be evaluated for effectiveness,
probability of success, net gain and efficiency.
Hence, the wise general must consider both
favorable and unfavorable factors in deliberations.
By taking into account the unfavorable within the favorable factors, he ensures his plan is feasible.

By taking into account the favorable within the unfavorable, he can resolve difficulties.

—The Art of War

The evaluation has been divided into two categories.

1. Subjective Evaluation

2. Objective (numerical) Evaluation

Subjective Evaluation

A general’s leadership ability is vital during times of war.

His appraisal of the battle situation is critical to the success or failure of the campaign.

He who knows when to fight and when not to fight will win; 

He who knows how to deploy large and small forces will win; 

He whose whole army is united in purpose will win; 

He who is well prepared to seize opportunity will win;

—The Art of War

At this point, we are just considering the Individual— to borrow a phrase from the U.S. Army—an “army of one.”

But it’s good to consider the factors mentioned above.

You need to know when to fight and when not to fight.

You need to know when to commit large or small expenditures of energy, time and effort.

Your whole self must be united in purpose (and it is often our unacknowledged fears and limiting beliefs that are actually holding us back).

And, finally, you must be well prepared to seize opportunity.

There are four areas you, as the “general”, should particularly attend to.

These four areas include:

1. Selection of strategic targets

2. The ability to create strategic advantage

3. The ability to fit the strategy to the situation

4. A sense of strategic timing

Strategic target

The success of any military conquest depends largely on what kind of enemy the attacking force is facing.
If battle is initiated by the attacking force, then it is important that the right enemy is chosen.
The same principle applies to you.
Those that the ancients referred to as excelling at warfare conquered those who were easy to conquer.
The victories of those that excelled in warfare were not marked by wisdom or courageous achievement.
Thus their victories were free from error. One who is free from error directs his measures toward certain victory, conquering those who are already defeated.

—The Art of War

Strategic fit

After selecting the target, the next stage of the evaluation process is assessing the suitability of the strategy to the battle situation.

The wise general is one who can:

Evaluate the enemy’s plan to determine which strategy will succeed and which will not.

Deliberate and assess the situation, then move.

—The Art of War

Strategic Advantage

As part of an effective strategy, the general must be able to create strategic advantage to secure victory.
Thus I say that victory can be created.
For even if the enemy has a large force, I can prevent him from engaging me.

—The Art of War

Victory in war is not dependant on having a large force alone.

What is equally important as numbers is the training of the people involved and the appropriate use of strategy.

For example, if you can conceal your strategy but you know the opponents strategy, then they will never know where, when or how you are going to attack.

They will have to defend everywhere, resulting in a scattering of his forces which favors the attacking force.

As the saying goes, “divide and conquer.”

The attacking force can achieve relative supremacy at the point of contact by concentrating the brunt of his forces on the enemy’s few.

Those who excel in warfare, even when the enemy’s forces are strong and numerous, can force them to divide and separate, unable to rescue each other, and suffer enemy attacks without mutually knowing about it.

–Military Methods

There are many other ways a smaller force can prevent a larger force from overtaking them.

The following are some examples of how to avoid a direct confrontation with a force that is larger than your own.

A. Keep a low profile.

If you keep a low profile, you will not attract as much animosity from the enemy. This can be achieved through humility and feigned vulnerability.

In the beginning, be as shy as a young maiden to entice the enemy to lower his defenses.

—The Art of War

B. Attacking the enemy through their strength.

In order to attack the strong you must nurture them to make them even stronger, and increase them to make them even more extensive.
What is too strong will certainly break;
what is too extended must have deficiencies.
Attack the strong through his strength.

–The Six Secret Teachings

C. Seizing something that is of great value to the enemy.

Exploit the advantages conferred by the tactical balance of power.
Increase the enemy’s excesses, seize what he loves. Then we, acting from without, can cause a response from within.

–Sima Fa

If someone asks: “What should I do when faced with a large and well-organized enemy troop about to invade my territory?”
My reply is, “Seize what he loves, and he will conform to your desires.”

—The Art of War

In warfare, this could include things like kidnapping high commanders or stealing battle plans.

Or as the high school football coach used to say, “Sack the Quarterback.”

Seizing something of value to the enemy allows you to gain strategic advantage.

The advantage gained should be sustained throughout the battle or at least buy some time for the smaller force to devise a better battle plan.

Strategic advantage can also be brought to bear when the enemy leaves gaps in their defenses.

For example, if he chooses not to defend a particular area, then that area can easily be taken.

When those who excel at warfare discern an enemy’s strength, they know where he has a shortcoming.
When they discern an enemy’s insufficiency, they know where he has a surplus.
They perceive victory as easily as seeing the sun and the moon. Their measures for victory are like using water to conquer fire.

–Military Methods

In addition to capitalizing on situations for victory, the capable general also ensures he has a strong defense.
Therefore, those adept in warfare ensure that he is in a position of non-defeat, while never missing the opportunity to defeat the enemy.

—The Art of War

In order to ensure victory and achieve a situation of non-defeat, one must create and find strategic advantage.

This requires the use of both offensive and defensive strategies.

And even when a seemingly effective strategy is adopted, there is still a need to try and maintain and strengthen your strategic advantage.

If an advantageous strategy is already adopted, there is still a need to create advantageous situations so as to support its accomplishment.
By ‘situations,’ I mean one must change according to the circumstances so as to obtain advantages.

—The Art of War

Strategic Timing

Timing is one of the most important aspects of conducting an operation.

External conditions are always changing. And more specifically, timing will affect the precise moment to launch your campaign.

It will also affect what strategy to employ.

There are times it is suitable to engage the enemy and times it is not.

There are also certain moments when it is more fitting to engage the enemy.

In the early stages of a battle, the spirits of the forces are high; they will gradually flag. 

At the end stage, their spirits are low and they are thinking of returning home. 

Therefore, those adept in warfare avoid attacking the enemy when their spirits are high, but attack them when their spirits are

sluggish.

—The Art of War

Objective/Numerical Evaluation

The subjective evaluation of strategy, proposed four interlocking elements of strategic target, fit, advantage and timing.

These can provide an indication of how effective a strategy might be.

In addition, it’s also good to do a numerical/quantitative analysis. This can include complex calculations or simple budgeting of time and money.

The elements of the science of war are first, measurement of space; second, estimation of expenses,
third, calculation of forces; fourth, weighing possibilities; and fifth, planning for victory.

—The Art of War

After all that analysis, of every shape and sort imaginable, it’s time to get moving—to start “doing” something.

If you’ve factored everything in and tweaked and adjusted the goals and strategies, it’s time to start implementing.

So far we have discussed situation appraisal, formulation of goals and strategies and evaluation of strategies.

The next step is the implementation of strategies.

Implementation involves two parts: the human element, and the operational element.

The human element means understanding the roles and responsibilities of the people involved in the mission.

The operational element relates to certain principles that affect the successful accomplishment of the mission.

The Human Factor

1. The Sovereign

2. The Army

3. The Commander

The “sovereign” represents the larger political/cultural space you are operating in.

The “army” is your working group.

The Commander

To reiterate some of the points from section two, the general should develop the qualities of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness. And he should avoid the five negative traits of recklessness, cowardice, quickness of temper, sensitivity to honor, and being too compassionate.

Taking into account both positive and negative traits, a capable general must possess five vital characteristics – caution in action, courage in battle, composure under stress, pragmatism in decision making and sincerity in dealing with people.

In addition, he needs to have three abilities – the ability to plan, the ability to execute and the ability to lead his army.

Heaven gives birth to the four seasons, Earth produces the myriad things.
Under Heaven there are the people, and the Sage acts as their shepherd.
Thus the way of spring is birth and the myriad things begin to flourish.
The way of summer is growth and the myriad things mature.
The way of autumn is gathering, the myriad things are full.
The way of winter is storing away, the myriad things are still.
When they are full they are stored away; after they are stored away they again revive.
No one knows where it ends, no one knows where it begins.
The Sage accords with it, and models himself on Heaven and Earth.
Thus when the realm is well ordered, his benevolence and sagacity are hidden.
When All under Heaven are in turbulence, his benevolence and sagacity flourish.
This is the true way.

—The Six Secret Teachings

Cautiousness

The general must be cautious in action.

Being cautious, however, does not mean being indecisive or slow to act.

It does not suggest overly conservative decision making or avoidance of aggressive actions.

Cautiousness, rather, is the ability to weigh possibilities and determine their likely consequences.

One who excels at warfare will await events in the situation without making any movement.
When he sees he can be victorious he will arise: if he sees he cannot be victorious he will desist.
Thus it is said that he doesn’t have any fear, he doesn’t vacillate.
Of the many harms that can beset an army, vacillation is the greatest.
Of disasters that befall an army, none surpasses doubt.

–The Six Secret Teachings

Courage

Aside from caution, the general must be courageous in action. Courage means the ability to make bold decisions and to take risks when necessary.

Sometimes this means sticking to an unpopular decision when he feels it is the right decision.

Also, he must be courageous enough to admit fault and accept responsibility in the face of defeat.

Composure

The capable general is someone who is composed and not easily provoked. Despite his high stature, he must not succumb to hubris and egotism. He must be able to withstand insults and provocation. He must not be tempted into taking reckless action or being provoked into overreaction.

…a general must not fight a battle out of resentment.
For while anger can be restored to happiness, and resentment can become pleasantness; a state that has perished cannot be restored, and a man who is dead cannot be resurrected.

—The Art of War

Pragmatism

The general must be pragmatic in decision making.

Sometimes a decision will have to be made that differs from the prior consensus of the group.

Because the general is there on the battlefield and watching the events unfold, sometimes he will need to make an “executive decision.”

To be practical and realistic requires initiative.

If the situation is one of victory, the general must fight even though the ruler may have issued orders not to engage.
If the situation is one of defeat, the general must not fight even though the ruler may have issued orders to do so.

—The Art of War

Sincerity

The general must be sincere when dealing with people, especially the members of his working group.

When a general treats his men like his
beloved sons, they will be willing to support
him unto death.
Pay attention to nourishing the troops, and do not tire them unnecessarily.

—The Art of War

However, he must also beware of being overl compassionate.

If he is too considerate, this could be interpreted as weakness by his group and result in a lack of discipline an insubordination.

In addition, this could be a weakness exploited by the enemy.

If over-compassionate to the people, he can be easily harassed.

—The Art of War

In addition, there are three abilities that a general needs.

A. Ability to plan.

The general should have the ability to plan, especially in the area of strategy.

He must know when to fight and when not to fight, where he should be fighting, how he should go about fighting, whom he is fighting and why he is fighting.

He should know which weapons to use and which troops to employ.

His ability to plan will enable him to effectively exploit opportunities on the ground as they arise.

Therefore, the adept at war seek victory from the situation, and do not rely on the efforts of the individuals.
Thus, he is able to select suitable men to exploit the situation.

—The Art of War

B. Ability to execute plans.

The general should have the ability to execute plans effectively. Even if your plan has a Ninety eight percent chance of success, if you don’t execute, you will not reach your objective.

If at the height of the day, you do not dry

things in the sun, this is termed losing time. 

If you grasp a knife you must cut. If you hold

an axe, you must attack.

–The Six Secret Teachings

C.         Ability to lead his army.

Something that often gets overlooked is the need to employ others in the execution of your plan.

This is one of the highest leverage factors in executing a plan.

We only have 24 hours in a day. In order to achieve maximum effectiveness, it is absolutely necessary to utilize the talents of others.

You must learn how to lead and manage the group of people working on the execution of the plan.

Whenever one mobilizes the army it takes the commanding general as its fate.
Its fate lies in a penetrating understanding of all aspects, not in clinging to one technique.
In accord with there abilities assign duties, each one taking charge of what they are good at, constantly changing and transforming with the times, to create the essential principles of order.
Thus the general has seventy-two “legs and arms” and “feathers and wings” in order to respond to the way of Heaven.

—The Six Secret Teachings

Operational Factor

In addition to human factors, there are operational factors to consider.

These factors can be summarized by 3 underlying principles.

1. The Principle of Speed

2. The Principle of Adaptability

3. Deceptiveness in Action and Strategy

The Principle of Speed

This refers to swiftness in execution. A plan is useless unless it is executed.

However, it is also important how it is executed.

One of the primary principles in execution is speed.

This is in sharp contrast to the views on planning, which support thoroughness and attention to detail.

This thoroughness naturally tends to take some time. But once the plan is formalized it needs to be executed expediently.

Speed of execution ensures that the plan actually gets done and doesn’t just sit on the “back burner”.

If one sees good but is dilatory in doing it;
If the time for action arrives and one is doubtful;
if you know something is wrong but you sanction it—it is in these three that the way stops.

–The Six Secret Teachings

Also, in a directly competitive situation, if the plan isn’t executed swiftly, it could be leaked or offer the enemy a chance to read your

movements and start preparing countermeasures.

Speed in execution will give the added advantage of surprise and capitalize on the enemy’s lack of preparation.

If your plans are heard about, the enemy will make counterplans.
If you are perceived, they will plot against you.
If you are known they will put you in difficulty.
If you are fathomed, they will endanger you.

–The Six Secret Teachings

Speed is the essence of war.
Capitalize on the unpreparadness of the enemy;
travel by unexpected routes; and attack those places where he does not take precautions.

–The Art of War

Timing

Timing means acting at the appropriate moment.
When the strike of the falcon breaks the body of it’s prey, it is because of correct timing.

—The Art of War

The falcon is able to fatally strike its victim because of accurate timing.

It is able to overcome a much larger prey because of speed and accuracy.

It uses its strengths against its victim’s weaknesses, so it is able to attain relative superiority at the moment of engagement.

It’s important to strike at the most opportune time–neither too early nor too late.

Timing is more of an art than a science. A lot depends on the judgment of the commander on the battlefield.

The art of applying correct timing depends on the general having a good feel for the situation.

The wise follow the time and do not lose advantage;
the skillful are decisive and have no doubts.
For this reason, when there is a sudden thunderclap there isn’t time to cover the ears;
when there’s a flash of lightning, there isn’t time to close the eyes.

–The Six Secret Teachings

Momentum

Timing is used to catch the enemy off guard and exploit advantages of the situation as they appear.

Momentum is used to achieve a synergy of action.

One action leads to another to another to another and all the while building up strength.

When [a good general] uses combined energy, his army become like rolling logs or stones.
It is the nature of logs or stones to be motionless on level ground and move when on a slope. …
Thus the energy generated when employing troops is like the momentum of rolling a round boulder down the side of a thousand foot mountain.

—The Art of War

Water is a soft substance, yet it can move homes off their foundation and cut valleys into solid rock because of its movement.

When rushing water moves boulders, it is because of momentum.

—The Art of War

Momentum also refers to the pace of action.

Speed of implementation builds momentum.

Protracted campaigns kill the energy.

When victory is long delayed, the ardor and
morale of the army will be depressed.
When the siege of a city is prolonged, the army will be exhausted.
If the army engages in protracted campaigns, the resources of the state will be impoverished.

—The Art of War

The Principle of Adaptability

Despite all the detailed planning and swiftness of execution, things can still go wrong.

Thus, you must be able to adapt to changing conditions.

There are three primary aspects to the principle of adaptability:

1. Flexibility

2. Innovativeness

3. Deceptiveness

Flexibility

Again we will take “water” as an example of how to be flexible and how to “effortlessly” fit the situation.

The guiding principle in military tactics may be likened to water.

Just as flowing water avoids heights and races downwards, an army should avoid strengths and strike weakness.

Just as water configures its flow according to the terrain, an army controls its victory according to the enemy.

Water has no constant shape.
The army does not maintain any constant strategic configuration of power.
One who is able to change and transform in accord with the enemy and wrest victory is termed spiritual.
None of the five phases dominates;
the four seasons do not have constant positions;
the sun shines for longer and shorter periods;
and the moon waxes and wanes.

–The Art of War

In order to gain maximum strategic advantage from changing circumstances, the general must be flexible and adopt fluid strategies that change in response to the situation.

Strategic power is exercised in accord with
the enemy’s movements.
Changes stem from the confrontation between two armies.
Orthodox and unorthodox tactics are
produced from the inexhaustible resources of the mind.

–The Six Secret Teachings

When neither the beginning nor end have yet become visible no one is able to know them.
Heaven and Earth are spiritual and enlightened, with the myriad things they change and transform.
The commander’s changes and movements
should not be constant.
He should change and transform in response to the enemy.
He does not precede affairs.
When the enemy moves he immediately follows up.
Thus he is able to formulate inexhaustible strategies and methods of control.
He can sustain and complete the awesomeness of Heaven.
Such a strategist is a teacher for an emperor or true king.

–Huangshi Gong

Innovativeness

 In addition to responding to the necessities of the situation, you must be innovative, take initiative and consistently alter your strategy.

This non-repetition of tactics suggests a constant search for new and innovative ways of meeting challenges.

The use of new approaches will prevent the enemy from anticipating your plans.

Do not repeat tactics that won you a victory, but vary them according to circumstance.

[The commander] must be able to change his methods and schemes so that no one can know his intentions.
He must be able to alter his camp-sites and marching routes so that no one can predict his movements.

—The Art of War

While flexibility is more reactive and implies flowing with the situation, innovativeness is more proactive and suggests initiating and

dictating the situation.

Those skilled in manipulating the enemy do
so by creating a situation to which the enemy must conform.

—The Art of War

Deceptiveness

Using deceptiveness can be a difficult topic because it involves ethical issues.

You must use your own ethical radar in evaluating the appropriateness of deception.

However, its implications are clear for warfare.

War is based on deception.
Whether to concentrate or divide the forces, when changes should be made to gain advantages, must depend on circumstance.

—The Art of War

Deception can be utilized in two primary ways.

The first way is to conceal your true intention.

This knocks the enemy off balance and keeps them guessing as to when and where you will attack.

This gives you strategic advantage.

To be the first to gain victory, initially display
some weakness to the enemy and only afterward do battle.
Then your effort will be half, but the achievement will be doubled.

–The Six Secret Teachings

Also, you can use illusion to deliberately mislead the enemy.

One of the stratagems from the 36 Stratagems is “make a sound in the East and attack in the West”.

This is the technique of distraction, or as we used to say on the basketball court, “fake right, go left.”

A different strategy based on illusion can be encapsulated in another schoolyard favorite—the tactic of “playing possum.”

Therefore, when capable, feign incapability;
when active, feign inactivity.
When near to the objective, feign that you are far away;
when far away, make it appear that you are near.

—The Art of War

Illusion can serve several purposes. First, it will confuse your enemy about your real intention.

This will make you unpredictable in the enemy’s eyes.

Although you may have multiple engagements with the same enemy, he will have to do a new assessment of you each time.

This can serve to wear him down and cause him to spend excess time and resources.

The tactical balance of power lies in the extremities of the way.
If you have something, pretend not to have it; if you lack something, appear to have it.
Then how can the enemy trust the appearance?

–Wei Liaozi

The use of illusion discussed above will make your opponent weary of you.

Illusion can also cause your opponent to underestimate you – particularly if you feign incapability, vulnerability, humility and weakness.

This serves to lower his defenses and indirectly encourage his arrogance.

When the enemy has let his guard down, that is the best time to strike.

In the beginning of battle, be as shy as a
young maiden to entice the enemy and lower his defenses.
When the battle progresses, be as swift as a hare so as to catch him unprepared.

—The Art of War

You can even go so far as to initially accommodate your own plans with the designs of the enemy.

The crux of military operations is to pretend to accommodate one’s plan to the designs of the enemy.
Once an opportunity arises, concentrate your forces against the enemy, and no matter how distant the enemy, you
can kill his general and defeat his army.
This is what it means to achieve success in an ingenious way.

—The Art of War

But be careful with these kinds of tactics. To lure someone into your hands by seeming to be lured into his trap is an art that requires the utmost skill.

To feign confusion, one must possess discipline;
to feign cowardice, one must possess courage;
feigned weakness must be born out of strength.

—The Art of War

This sudden change from weakness to strength and vulnerability to aggression can have a stunning impact that cripples the enemy. The true “master” of war wins so swiftly and covertly that by the time the enemy realizes what is happening, he is already defeated!

The victories won by a master of war never gained him reputation for wisdom or courage.

—The Art of War