FYI--DD
______________________
Great Optimism,
Dutch Driver
Dept. of Communication
McMurry University
Abilene, TX
ddriver@cs1.mcm.edu
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 21:56:13 -0500 (EST)
From:
suntzu@cazmedia.com
To:
ddriver@cs1.mcm.edu
Subject: Sun Tzu Strategy Newsletter Issue 1
SUN TZU STRATEGY NEWSLETTER
WELCOME
Welcome to the first edition of the Sun Tzu Strategy Newsletter!
The newsletter is written by Mark McNeilly, author of Sun Tzu
and the Art of Business: Six Strategic Principles for Managers.
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others who may
find it useful.
The first edition is going out to over 300 of you, charter
members of the Sun Tzu Strategy Network. Interest in Sun Tzu's
strategic philosophy knows no national boundaries and, after
only one month, our rapidly growing group includes people from
Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines,
India, Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, Chile, Argentina, Colombia,
South Africa, Israel, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Germany, France, the UK, Canada and of course the U.S.
STRATEGY MATTERS
BUSINESS IS WAR....
Business is quickly becoming more like warfare, at least in the
U.S. According to Business Week, corporate competition has led
to more companies taking over others. The U.S. will soon go from
five major railroads to four and is down to three major defense
companies and one commercial aircraft firm.
SPEED IS WHERE THE POWER IS....
Think about Einstein's famous equation, E=MC squared. Energy
equals Mass time Velocity Squared. Where is the leverage in this
formula? It's in the Velocity, the Speed! If you increase the Mass
you directly affect the Energy created. BUT, if you increase the
Speed you increase the Energy released EXPONENTIALLY! This
applies not only to physics but to business as well. If you want
to dramatically increase the amount of energy you're applying to
a business challenge, increase your speed (see the fourth principle
of Sun Tzu and the Art of Business).
ANTICIPATION
Sun Tzu discusses the need to be prepared for all contingencies.
You can better anticipate your competitors' moves not just by
watching what they're doing today buy also by thinking about how
their current actions will drive future ones. For example, sports
psychologist Robert Singer says that, as an opposing player shoots,
an amateur hockey goalie will watch the puck to determine how best
to block it. However, professional goalies do not watch the puck
first. Instead, they watch the shooter's stick, looking at how it
is held, how fast it is moving and its angle. This helps them
better determine the future speed and direction the puck will
have BEFORE it begins flying towards them. (Source: Psychology Today)
DIFFERING STRATEGIC PHILOSOPHIES: MIYAMOTO MUSASHI vs. SUN TZU
I have received a similar question from a number of Sun Tzu fans
wondering about how Sun Tzu's strategic philosophy and that of
Miyamoto Musashi compare. As many of you know, Miyamoto Musashi
was a great swordsman in Japan who lived during the late 1500s and
early 1600s. He ended up writing a guide to living called The Book
of Five Rings. This book has been used by many Japanese business
people as a guide to success. In this book he discusses the principles
of craft, skill, timing and spirit, which result in victory.
Here is how I would contrast the Sun Tzu and Musashi in terms of
similarities & differences:
(this is also on the Council Chambers page of the website)
After reviewing Musashi I can definitely see similarities...especially
in his Fire Book section.
Musashi speaks of knowing the enemy's strategy, strengths and
weaknesses, as does Sun Tzu. There are other passages which are
similar as well. I believe much of this is due to the influence in
both China and Japan of Chinese philosophy and lifestyle.
What is also interesting are the differences between the two. Musashi
seems to speak more to the individual warrior, since he is the
ultimate swordsman. Sun Tzu speaks to the general, as he focuses on
the leader.
Another difference I see is that Musashi is more focused on individual
perfection and honor, whereas Sun Tzu is more intent on winning and
practicality. I think this is due to the different times in which they
lived; Musashi during the relatively stable time of the Shogunate, when
much in the military life had become stylized. Sun Tzu lived during the
Age of the Warring States, when there was much uncertainty and danger.
(Please feel free to contribute in the Sun Tzu Council Chambers on this
topic or others!)
SUN TZU NETWORK NEWS
E. Geoffrey Meyer from Weyerhaeuser Company, USA was February's winner
of the complimentary copy of Sun Tzu and the Art of Business.
Congratulations, Geoffrey!
The first results of the Competitive Intelligence Self-Analysis Test are
in. Asked on the website to evaluate their own company's CI capabilities,
the respondents' average score was 4 out of 11. This says there is plenty
of room for companies to improve their competitive intelligence capabilities.
Feel free to take the Self-Analysis yourself, since I think it is interesting
for all of us to see the results.
A lot has been added to the Sun Tzu Strategy Website, so you may want to come
back for a visit.
More links have been added to the Strategy Launchpad, Strategy Matters has a
new story, and more books and links will be added in the next week or so. You are
most welcome to click on
http://www.cazmedia.com/suntzu
Mark will be speaking about Sun Tzu a number of times in April at these venues;
* The Art of War II--The Application Conference in San Francisco. Sponsored by
the Asian-American Business Association.
* The Product Development & Management Association in Minneapolis.
* Arizona State University MBA Program
* Strategy & Leadership Forum and the Society of CI Professionals in Phoenix
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
"When one treats people with benevolence, justice and righteousness, and reposes
confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve
their leaders."
Sun Tzu
(If you wish to provide feedback or unsubscribe, please send a note to
mcneilly@bigfoot.com)
Issue 1, 1997, copyright Mark McNeilly, 1997