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Sztuka wojny dla kobiet. Jak wygrywać bez walki
Klasyczny traktat Sun Tzu, Sztuka wojny, pozwolił wielu pokoleniom mężczyzn odnosić sukcesy, czy to na wojnie, czy to w wielkim biznesie. W końcu i jedno, i drugie jest traktowane jako domena mężczyzn. Tymczasem kluczowe koncepcje Sun Tzu mogą się doskonale przełożyć na taktykę prowadzącą do sukcesu także kobiety. To w końcu żadna tajemnica, że na najwyższych stanowiskach w polityce i biznesie jest ich wciąż niewiele: osiąganie ambitnych, osobistych celów w nierównym środowisku, w którym dominują mężczyźni, jest dla kobiet trudniejsze.
Ta książka jest interpretacją Sztuki wojny przeznaczoną dla kobiet, które chcą w pełni wykorzystać swój potencjał, uwolnić ukrytą w sobie siłę i mieć poczucie osobistej satysfakcji, a jednocześnie uniknąć niepotrzebnych konfliktów i zachować swoją uczciwość. Dzięki lekturze zrozumiesz zasady rządzące wszystkimi ludzkimi relacjami i dowiesz się, jak z łatwością osiągnąć swoje cele i zdobyć należny Ci szacunek. Uzyskasz świadomość, kim jesteś i w jaki sposób wykorzystać swoje cechy dla własnej korzyści. Nauczysz się zwyciężać, nim wojna w ogóle się rozpęta: w sposób subtelny, pokojowy i z minimalną ilością wrogości. Prędko się przekonasz, że zwyciężanie jest przyjemne. I że rodzi sukcesy w dowolnym innym otoczeniu!
Dowiedz się, jak:
wykorzystać swoje przewagi i przeciwności
skutecznie planować działania i kontrolować otoczenie
zarządzać, komunikować i przewodzić ludziom
atakować, bronić się, zawiązywać sojusze
działać i stale się rozwijać
Sun Tzu był synem wojskowego i królewskim doradcą. Do dziś jest znany jako genialny taktyk i myśliciel. Odniósł legendarne sukcesy wojskowe. Zawsze dążył do zwycięstwa przy minimalnym koszcie.
Największym ze zwycięstw jest to, które nie wymaga walki
Sun Tzu
Ta książka jest interpretacją Sztuki wojny przeznaczoną dla kobiet, które chcą w pełni wykorzystać swój potencjał, uwolnić ukrytą w sobie siłę i mieć poczucie osobistej satysfakcji, a jednocześnie uniknąć niepotrzebnych konfliktów i zachować swoją uczciwość. Dzięki lekturze zrozumiesz zasady rządzące wszystkimi ludzkimi relacjami i dowiesz się, jak z łatwością osiągnąć swoje cele i zdobyć należny Ci szacunek. Uzyskasz świadomość, kim jesteś i w jaki sposób wykorzystać swoje cechy dla własnej korzyści. Nauczysz się zwyciężać, nim wojna w ogóle się rozpęta: w sposób subtelny, pokojowy i z minimalną ilością wrogości. Prędko się przekonasz, że zwyciężanie jest przyjemne. I że rodzi sukcesy w dowolnym innym otoczeniu!
Dowiedz się, jak:
wykorzystać swoje przewagi i przeciwności
skutecznie planować działania i kontrolować otoczenie
zarządzać, komunikować i przewodzić ludziom
atakować, bronić się, zawiązywać sojusze
działać i stale się rozwijać
Sun Tzu był synem wojskowego i królewskim doradcą. Do dziś jest znany jako genialny taktyk i myśliciel. Odniósł legendarne sukcesy wojskowe. Zawsze dążył do zwycięstwa przy minimalnym koszcie.
Największym ze zwycięstw jest to, które nie wymaga walki
Sun Tzu
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
411 people are currently reading
3494 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
May 11, 2022
Sun Tzu's Art of war for Women by Catherine Huang, A.D. Rosenberg, narrated bountifully by Cindy Kay, is an excellent example of how wise Asian philosophy is so wise and profound. Having listened to this book, I have become more interested in Asia's production, i.e. even movies. It is an excellent book on how to adopt the Art of war in your daily life as a woman. With such wisdom, girl, you can build your life. Four 🌟
May 10, 2012
I really did not enjoy this book. First, it was braggy. And not in an "I am accomplished so you should respect my thoughts on this subject" way, but straight up just braggy. Second, I thought the author talked down to woman and made comparisons between men and woman that were completely outdated and inapporopriate. Third, I don't think the author did a very good good job using Sun Tzu's Art of War and translating it to a context that would work for woman. This book just did not work. There are so many better books out there on this subject, this book is not worth reading even if you get it for free.
May 4, 2015
For most of my life I’ve been a misogynist whilest being unaware. Until I hit my second puberty and period cramps started feeling like kittens scratching in my womb, my mood swings increasingly unexpected and frequent, and since I began started working in a male-dominated and oriented environment, that I started rethinking about the struggles of being a woman. Then I became the armpit-hair growing feminist...(Just joking, I was just a keyboard activist who couldn't find her epilator. I have since resumed my grooming habits, and am proud to say I am a mere-feminist.)
For that, I would like to sincerely apologize to my genderkind: I’m sowwie. Not for the lack of shaving, I mean.
Before reviewing the book, I will preface this by introducing myself as a 24 year old young Asian woman on her second job of her career. I believe in equality, but incline more towards equity. That is to say, I hold a somewhat ‘traditional’ view on a woman’s role in society.
My father used to tell me when I was a kid: ‘You’re a girl, so you have to do the housework. There’s no point in me giving you an education when you’ll be someone else’s daughter in future.’
Thanks dad, then why do you always bug me about giving allowance now that I have a job! Why do you suddenly pull the you're-my-daughter-so-that's-your-duty card?! HUH?! HUH?!
Anyway.
I think any woman who needs help manoeuvring in society and the work place should read this. Having read Sun Tze Art of War in Mandarin, I find that this book has just the right amount of stories to illustrate how to apply the stratagems. If you are one of those who think that equality at the workplace means calling out on misogynism and/or reject your femininity (ha ha, fe-me-nee-nee-tee, what a mouthful) to be equally successful, this is not the book for you.
What this books implores is for women to discard the notion that we have to act and speak like men in order to move forward in the workplace. Using the attributes unique to us, we can climb the ladder in red carpets and glass shoes.
The writer did not set off to write a one-size-fits-all book nor elaborate much on the examples she had provided. Therefore her illustrations may come off as skimpy or too general. However, there are merits this method. Had you read enough books on strategies and social theories, you will know that there is a certain mind set to be in before embarking on the reading journey.
More specifically, the answers can only be found upon reflection of yourself and in relation to your own environment. You will then be able to create a path that works well for you, and you, only. That's the only homework the reader might have to do.
I personally found this book very empowering. I started to see myself as a working individual rather than obsess over the demarcation of one gender and the other. Quite motivated, I made an appointment with my hairdresser last weekend. Because battle gear, goddammit.
There, I gave the instruction to the hairdresser, ‘Make me look like a professional, Tino.’
‘What?’
‘Make me look respectable. I will no longer stand for sexism at the workplace and out of it.’
‘If you want to pit with men, your hair must be as short as theirs, you know? A woman can’t look pretty and be taken seriously.’
‘You sir, obviously do not know the Art of War.’
The haircut was shit, but you get my point.
For that, I would like to sincerely apologize to my genderkind: I’m sowwie. Not for the lack of shaving, I mean.
Before reviewing the book, I will preface this by introducing myself as a 24 year old young Asian woman on her second job of her career. I believe in equality, but incline more towards equity. That is to say, I hold a somewhat ‘traditional’ view on a woman’s role in society.
My father used to tell me when I was a kid: ‘You’re a girl, so you have to do the housework. There’s no point in me giving you an education when you’ll be someone else’s daughter in future.’
Thanks dad, then why do you always bug me about giving allowance now that I have a job! Why do you suddenly pull the you're-my-daughter-so-that's-your-duty card?! HUH?! HUH?!
Anyway.
I think any woman who needs help manoeuvring in society and the work place should read this. Having read Sun Tze Art of War in Mandarin, I find that this book has just the right amount of stories to illustrate how to apply the stratagems. If you are one of those who think that equality at the workplace means calling out on misogynism and/or reject your femininity (ha ha, fe-me-nee-nee-tee, what a mouthful) to be equally successful, this is not the book for you.
What this books implores is for women to discard the notion that we have to act and speak like men in order to move forward in the workplace. Using the attributes unique to us, we can climb the ladder in red carpets and glass shoes.
The writer did not set off to write a one-size-fits-all book nor elaborate much on the examples she had provided. Therefore her illustrations may come off as skimpy or too general. However, there are merits this method. Had you read enough books on strategies and social theories, you will know that there is a certain mind set to be in before embarking on the reading journey.
More specifically, the answers can only be found upon reflection of yourself and in relation to your own environment. You will then be able to create a path that works well for you, and you, only. That's the only homework the reader might have to do.
I personally found this book very empowering. I started to see myself as a working individual rather than obsess over the demarcation of one gender and the other. Quite motivated, I made an appointment with my hairdresser last weekend. Because battle gear, goddammit.
There, I gave the instruction to the hairdresser, ‘Make me look like a professional, Tino.’
‘What?’
‘Make me look respectable. I will no longer stand for sexism at the workplace and out of it.’
‘If you want to pit with men, your hair must be as short as theirs, you know? A woman can’t look pretty and be taken seriously.’
‘You sir, obviously do not know the Art of War.’
The haircut was shit, but you get my point.
August 5, 2011
Just superb! A very helpful book specifically written/translated for women, though men can definitely benefit from it too. It’s not something that you will read then relegate to your shelf to eat dust. You would want this book on a place where you can easily reach for it, then read snippets again. Highly recommended!
August 3, 2016
Difficult book for me to read. I made it through the first few chapters, but kept putting it down, then reading a few pages, skipping a few. Finally, I gave up this week. I didn't find this book super interesting or helpful. A few nuggets on strategy and building alliances with key colleagues, but time to admit defeat and move on.
October 12, 2013
It was not very helpful. Lots of advice and facts given in this book are pretty well known. Even though the book is geared towards a female audience, I was surprised the book didn't address a lot of feminist scholarship or studies on women in the workplace, specifically, the problems and how to overcome them. I wouldn't recommend it. It did, however, get me really interested in the Art of War by Sun Tzu and now I am going to read that!
November 7, 2016
Great cliff note version of the ancient Art of War book
I tried reading the original Art of War a few times and found it boring and frustrating to try to make modern sense of ancient thoughts. This book delivered in clarifying the original book and framing the ideas for women and the challenges that we face. One aspect that was distracting were the numerous grammar and spelling errors in the electronic version. This weakness lended the book less credibility for me.
I tried reading the original Art of War a few times and found it boring and frustrating to try to make modern sense of ancient thoughts. This book delivered in clarifying the original book and framing the ideas for women and the challenges that we face. One aspect that was distracting were the numerous grammar and spelling errors in the electronic version. This weakness lended the book less credibility for me.
Want to read
June 2, 2010the art of war was recommended to me, so I saw this one at the store and thought ?why not? it has been helpful but I only read bits and parts then set it down and continue pondering what it is telling me.
November 19, 2024
Who is Catherine Huang? Is she the same person as Chin-Ning Chu - the latter being the true name of the author who wrote The Art of War for Women, and the former the same woman’s adopted, partly Western-sounding name? I was ready to assume so, since both books and both authors appear to be the same on Goodreads, and I can find next to nothing on “Catherine Huang” outside of another very unofficial-seeming Goodreads page. But I’m not so sure, and even though I prefer "The Art of War for Women" with its accompanying cover more than the cumbersome "Sun Tzu's Art of War for Women' I have opted to place my rating and review under, I do not like to risk rating an entirely different book, of which this present one would seem to plagiarise in theme if not in content.
I digress, of course, and rather pedantically. But since I have not very much of any value to say about this book, I’m afraid a pointless digression is the best I’ve got. So, this book makes a lot of sense in its purpose: to adopt the ancient and much-celebrated tactical wisdom of Sun Tzu to the modern-day world of professional career advancement, backstabbing, manipulation, office politics and gender wars. I would also say it more or less delivers. If you are indeed part of the corporate business world, and are a woman with ambition left to fend for yourself within an environment that remains very male-centric in its systems, values and privileges, this book could well prove helpful if not necessarily that original.
Personally, I am neither a woman nor involved in the type of work this book focuses on. I have zero skills and even less interest in the world of business, whatever broad array of meanings that term carries. Hell, I can't even listen to mortgage brokers when they're discussing my own property without tuning out and simply nodding along like Homer Simpson. But at least the "being a woman" part I could quite easily change, thanks to modern day progress, if I wished. So if I ever have a mental breakdown and decide that biology isn’t really a thing anyway, I could identify as this book’s target audience and review its contents a second time, to much better effect.
Fortunately for me, though, I don’t have time to get caught up on such existential quibbles, and despite not being much of a man in any proper sense of the word, I have absolutely no desire of ceasing to be one altogether either. As such, this book really just seems to me yet another serviceable but essentially redundant self-development manual with a superficial use of female pronouns (little of it strictly caters to a uniquely female experience), and a liberal dose of ancient Chinese wisdom, sprinkled here and there in pithy quotations, fit to be used when desiring to present yourself as smarter and more well-read than you are.
Oh, and if I read or hear pronounced the words "yin and yang" again this week, I ... well, I ... I guess I won't do anything, as such, but I'll certainly be quite annoyed.
I digress, of course, and rather pedantically. But since I have not very much of any value to say about this book, I’m afraid a pointless digression is the best I’ve got. So, this book makes a lot of sense in its purpose: to adopt the ancient and much-celebrated tactical wisdom of Sun Tzu to the modern-day world of professional career advancement, backstabbing, manipulation, office politics and gender wars. I would also say it more or less delivers. If you are indeed part of the corporate business world, and are a woman with ambition left to fend for yourself within an environment that remains very male-centric in its systems, values and privileges, this book could well prove helpful if not necessarily that original.
Personally, I am neither a woman nor involved in the type of work this book focuses on. I have zero skills and even less interest in the world of business, whatever broad array of meanings that term carries. Hell, I can't even listen to mortgage brokers when they're discussing my own property without tuning out and simply nodding along like Homer Simpson. But at least the "being a woman" part I could quite easily change, thanks to modern day progress, if I wished. So if I ever have a mental breakdown and decide that biology isn’t really a thing anyway, I could identify as this book’s target audience and review its contents a second time, to much better effect.
Fortunately for me, though, I don’t have time to get caught up on such existential quibbles, and despite not being much of a man in any proper sense of the word, I have absolutely no desire of ceasing to be one altogether either. As such, this book really just seems to me yet another serviceable but essentially redundant self-development manual with a superficial use of female pronouns (little of it strictly caters to a uniquely female experience), and a liberal dose of ancient Chinese wisdom, sprinkled here and there in pithy quotations, fit to be used when desiring to present yourself as smarter and more well-read than you are.
Oh, and if I read or hear pronounced the words "yin and yang" again this week, I ... well, I ... I guess I won't do anything, as such, but I'll certainly be quite annoyed.
November 28, 2025
It feels so pointlessly gendered that is just comes out as unintentionally misogynistic. Also the examples she gave of the women she knew was completely unnecessary and most of the time had nothing to do with their gender. It also criticised how women dress even if they were following the dress code and saying if women want to be taken seriously they shouldn’t dress ‘feminine’. Saying women that dress feminine to appear sexy is just wrong. Furthermore, saying a woman has to choose between work life or a family is just not true as I know many women that chose both and males choose both all the time. Moreover, I think she stereotyped how many women blamed the glass ceiling for being unable to decide what she wants. I don’t know any woman who did this.
I think the philosophy bits are good but it fails for trying to do too much. It could have potential if only it was a briefly of the Art of War since it would be useful.
I think the philosophy bits are good but it fails for trying to do too much. It could have potential if only it was a briefly of the Art of War since it would be useful.
July 14, 2023
“The Art of War for Women: Sun Tzu’s Ultimate Guide to Winning Without Confrontation” is a informative nonfiction book focusing on helping women become successful at work without sacrificing their ethics while using principles from Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.”
The book consists of a preface, introduction, thirteen chapters, a final note, special thanks, and an index.
In the preface, “It’s About the Art, Not the War,” author Chin-Ning Chu explains to the reader the difference between the western and eastern philosophies of war. While the western philosophy of war focuses on opposing generals sending troops to conquer one another, the eastern philosophy of war focuses on determining the most efficient way to gain victory with the least amount of conflict. Although Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” has been used by many for thousands of years as a military guide, in reality, the book provides a set of strategic thinking skills which can be used to help the reader achieve their professional goals in the most efficient way possible. This book is written to help women learn how to win in business without confrontation, fully integrate their ethics into the demands of work, develop the ability to see “the big picture,” master strategic thinking, and learning how to become more adaptive, innovative, and creative in all aspect of life.
In the introduction, “Sun Tzu and His Art of War,” Chu talks about the sentiment of women worldwide who want to be successful in business and that the context of Sun Tzu “The Art of War” is based of Taoist philosophy. It was interesting to learn how Sun Tzu’s family background influenced in the writing of “The Art of War” since he was the grandson of a military general and wrote the book because he was looking for a job as. a military commander. Sun Tzu was smart in creating a book in which he was the only person who could translate the text and suggest how he would implement the tactics in the book. Fascinating how despite there being more than 200 English translations of “The Art of War” and thousands of Chinese translations, this is the first version of “The Art of War” written for a female audience.
Chapter one, “Ji Planning: The Elements of Strategy” focuses in depth on the five elements that govern success which are Tao (moral standing, ) Tien (timing,) Di (terrain or resources,) Jiang (leadership.) and Fa (managing.) Strategy is not about rules, but adaptation. Other topics discussed in this chapter include being in sync with universal timing, learning how to make the best of what can’t be controlled. How well you deal with coworkers and career is directly based on how well you utilize your personal characteristics. Being different is not a liability, it’s what makes you unique. Don’t be afraid to use personal qualities to get what you want. Learn when strengths may be working against you. Leadership is not about a job title but about an attitude and women often don’t realize that they have be in unofficial leadership roles but are unaware of it. Before managing others, the reader needs to examine what work life balance mean to them. Deception may be necessary to bring out a rival’s worst trait and win. The chapter ends with the statement that if you know who you are, this will help you know what you’re dealing with, and how much of yourself to reveal at work.
Chapter two, “Doing Battle: Speedy Victory” focuses on how the success of a company influences the survival and wellbeing of its employees. It is important to learn to be resourceful so it’s important to create results if you want to keep your job or get promoted, not just come to work and take up space. Generate more income for your company than what you’re getting paid. You are not only working for personal family but work family as well. See yourself first. The chapter ends with Chu encouraging the reader to become valuable to their employer by learning how to close deals fast and provides tips of how to close deals quickly.
Chapter three, “Strategy: Know Thyself and Others” focuses on the importance of understanding yourself before understanding the opposition, and introduces the five steps to better understanding yourself which are you must have a strong desire to know yourself, be your own detective, dive into yourself, see yourself through some else’s eyes, and be an actor and director.
Chapter four, “Disposition: Win First, Then Fight” focuses on mental and physical dispositions. To win before you fight, Chu suggests envisioning that you have already been successful. As women, Chu suggests women decide if they want to focus on family or career and be firm in that choice. Power comes from spirit and without it, women are weak. How others view you doesn’t matter if you’re happy with who you are.
Chapter five, “Momentum: Using Timing to Generate Momentum” focuses on learning how to improving personal timing to sync with universal timing. It is vital to back up inner intuition with data and planning.
Chapter six, “Real and Unreal: Illusion Is the Other Side of Reality” focuses on letting people believe what they want to believe, especially if this leads people to believe that you are less capable than you really are. Chu encourages the female reader to win social and economic battles through dressing professionally as a way to provide substance. Style is not only about what you wear but also attitude, facial expressions, and body language. I liked the concept of all clothing having a purpose and to dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
Chapter seven, “Conflict: Don’t Show Your Hand” focuses on strategies to prevent office jealousy and sexual harassment. Chi discusses the irony of women being fine with a man being promoted while being jealous when a woman is promoted. Learn to focus on the sweet fruits of office jealousy. It’s in women’s best interest to help other women excel to use their achievements to get beyond your capability. Regarding sexual harassment, Chu advises women to point out the conduct that is offensive since not doing so will lead to harassment continuing. When experiencing sexual harassment, Chu suggests keeping very detailed records of harassment as a form of defense in the event of litigation. Before engaging a strong opponent in sexual harassment situations, it’s best to prepare your resume to stave off potential retaliation from the harasser.
Chapter eight, “Imagination: Don’t See Things No One Has Seen” focuses on using one’s imagination to advance in their career. Chu provides suggestions on how handle periods of depression as well as learning how to use introspection to determine if one’s demeanor or managerial style is stopping them from reaching their highest potential. You must do something of respect in order to have self-respect and be respected by other. The best employee are lifelong learners and don’t rest on having a degree.
Chapter nine, “Managing the Troops: The Principles of Management” focuses on managing people in today’s workplace. A statement from that really resonated with me was that managing a large group of people is the same as managing a small group, it’s all about managing the group as if they are all individuals. Family and work skills are complementary and skills learned running a household can transfer well in business which are wisdom, trustworthiness, benevolence, strictness, and courage.
Chapter ten, “Terrain: Move According to Your Environment” focuses on how to get promoted without trying too hard. If you don’t know the rules of office politics, you will not advance at work. Chu transfers Sun Tzu’s use of war geography (friendly terrain, the steep road, the complex terrain, the narrow passage, the hilltop, and the distant land) into the office environment Chu also provides six ways to fail as a manager which are ignorance of your resources, managerial incompetence, staff incompetence, playing favorites, inability to discipline, and an poorly trained manager.
Chapter eleven, “Nine Battlegrounds: Be Competitive by Doing Less” focuses on how to become more competitive by doing less. Chu encourages the reader to embrace their “feminine” qualities as well as bring out their “masculine” qualities. In this chapter, Chu also presents strategies the nine battlegrounds for personal advancement and corporate marketing which are scattered ground, light ground, competitive ground, open ground, intersecting ground, heavy ground, difficult ground, surrounded ground, and death ground.
Chapter twelve, “Attack by Fire: Fireproofing Yourself” focuses on the concept that if you must fight, get total victory. Although everyone will experience personal and professional attacks, it’s important how learn how to rise from the ashes after such an attack. I was intrigued by Chu’s suggestion to learn killer instinct by learning to flip a pancake in a frying pan.
Chapter thirteen, “Espionage” focuses on how to stay ahead of competitors by finding out all the information you can about their business. This chapter focuses on five types of spies as they relate to the workplace which are the village spy, an internal spy, a counterspy (double agent,) a doomed spy, and a survivor spy. This chapter also exposes how con artists can behave in the workplace and how to be mindful of their devious techniques.
The book ends with a final note by Chu in which she says that although the reader has finished the book, it’s meant to be revisited whenever the reader faces a difficult situation.
As I finished reading this book, I appreciated that early on, Chu states that this is not a motivational book but that she hopes that after reading, the reader will be motivated to use the tools in the book to get what they want.
The book consists of a preface, introduction, thirteen chapters, a final note, special thanks, and an index.
In the preface, “It’s About the Art, Not the War,” author Chin-Ning Chu explains to the reader the difference between the western and eastern philosophies of war. While the western philosophy of war focuses on opposing generals sending troops to conquer one another, the eastern philosophy of war focuses on determining the most efficient way to gain victory with the least amount of conflict. Although Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” has been used by many for thousands of years as a military guide, in reality, the book provides a set of strategic thinking skills which can be used to help the reader achieve their professional goals in the most efficient way possible. This book is written to help women learn how to win in business without confrontation, fully integrate their ethics into the demands of work, develop the ability to see “the big picture,” master strategic thinking, and learning how to become more adaptive, innovative, and creative in all aspect of life.
In the introduction, “Sun Tzu and His Art of War,” Chu talks about the sentiment of women worldwide who want to be successful in business and that the context of Sun Tzu “The Art of War” is based of Taoist philosophy. It was interesting to learn how Sun Tzu’s family background influenced in the writing of “The Art of War” since he was the grandson of a military general and wrote the book because he was looking for a job as. a military commander. Sun Tzu was smart in creating a book in which he was the only person who could translate the text and suggest how he would implement the tactics in the book. Fascinating how despite there being more than 200 English translations of “The Art of War” and thousands of Chinese translations, this is the first version of “The Art of War” written for a female audience.
Chapter one, “Ji Planning: The Elements of Strategy” focuses in depth on the five elements that govern success which are Tao (moral standing, ) Tien (timing,) Di (terrain or resources,) Jiang (leadership.) and Fa (managing.) Strategy is not about rules, but adaptation. Other topics discussed in this chapter include being in sync with universal timing, learning how to make the best of what can’t be controlled. How well you deal with coworkers and career is directly based on how well you utilize your personal characteristics. Being different is not a liability, it’s what makes you unique. Don’t be afraid to use personal qualities to get what you want. Learn when strengths may be working against you. Leadership is not about a job title but about an attitude and women often don’t realize that they have be in unofficial leadership roles but are unaware of it. Before managing others, the reader needs to examine what work life balance mean to them. Deception may be necessary to bring out a rival’s worst trait and win. The chapter ends with the statement that if you know who you are, this will help you know what you’re dealing with, and how much of yourself to reveal at work.
Chapter two, “Doing Battle: Speedy Victory” focuses on how the success of a company influences the survival and wellbeing of its employees. It is important to learn to be resourceful so it’s important to create results if you want to keep your job or get promoted, not just come to work and take up space. Generate more income for your company than what you’re getting paid. You are not only working for personal family but work family as well. See yourself first. The chapter ends with Chu encouraging the reader to become valuable to their employer by learning how to close deals fast and provides tips of how to close deals quickly.
Chapter three, “Strategy: Know Thyself and Others” focuses on the importance of understanding yourself before understanding the opposition, and introduces the five steps to better understanding yourself which are you must have a strong desire to know yourself, be your own detective, dive into yourself, see yourself through some else’s eyes, and be an actor and director.
Chapter four, “Disposition: Win First, Then Fight” focuses on mental and physical dispositions. To win before you fight, Chu suggests envisioning that you have already been successful. As women, Chu suggests women decide if they want to focus on family or career and be firm in that choice. Power comes from spirit and without it, women are weak. How others view you doesn’t matter if you’re happy with who you are.
Chapter five, “Momentum: Using Timing to Generate Momentum” focuses on learning how to improving personal timing to sync with universal timing. It is vital to back up inner intuition with data and planning.
Chapter six, “Real and Unreal: Illusion Is the Other Side of Reality” focuses on letting people believe what they want to believe, especially if this leads people to believe that you are less capable than you really are. Chu encourages the female reader to win social and economic battles through dressing professionally as a way to provide substance. Style is not only about what you wear but also attitude, facial expressions, and body language. I liked the concept of all clothing having a purpose and to dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
Chapter seven, “Conflict: Don’t Show Your Hand” focuses on strategies to prevent office jealousy and sexual harassment. Chi discusses the irony of women being fine with a man being promoted while being jealous when a woman is promoted. Learn to focus on the sweet fruits of office jealousy. It’s in women’s best interest to help other women excel to use their achievements to get beyond your capability. Regarding sexual harassment, Chu advises women to point out the conduct that is offensive since not doing so will lead to harassment continuing. When experiencing sexual harassment, Chu suggests keeping very detailed records of harassment as a form of defense in the event of litigation. Before engaging a strong opponent in sexual harassment situations, it’s best to prepare your resume to stave off potential retaliation from the harasser.
Chapter eight, “Imagination: Don’t See Things No One Has Seen” focuses on using one’s imagination to advance in their career. Chu provides suggestions on how handle periods of depression as well as learning how to use introspection to determine if one’s demeanor or managerial style is stopping them from reaching their highest potential. You must do something of respect in order to have self-respect and be respected by other. The best employee are lifelong learners and don’t rest on having a degree.
Chapter nine, “Managing the Troops: The Principles of Management” focuses on managing people in today’s workplace. A statement from that really resonated with me was that managing a large group of people is the same as managing a small group, it’s all about managing the group as if they are all individuals. Family and work skills are complementary and skills learned running a household can transfer well in business which are wisdom, trustworthiness, benevolence, strictness, and courage.
Chapter ten, “Terrain: Move According to Your Environment” focuses on how to get promoted without trying too hard. If you don’t know the rules of office politics, you will not advance at work. Chu transfers Sun Tzu’s use of war geography (friendly terrain, the steep road, the complex terrain, the narrow passage, the hilltop, and the distant land) into the office environment Chu also provides six ways to fail as a manager which are ignorance of your resources, managerial incompetence, staff incompetence, playing favorites, inability to discipline, and an poorly trained manager.
Chapter eleven, “Nine Battlegrounds: Be Competitive by Doing Less” focuses on how to become more competitive by doing less. Chu encourages the reader to embrace their “feminine” qualities as well as bring out their “masculine” qualities. In this chapter, Chu also presents strategies the nine battlegrounds for personal advancement and corporate marketing which are scattered ground, light ground, competitive ground, open ground, intersecting ground, heavy ground, difficult ground, surrounded ground, and death ground.
Chapter twelve, “Attack by Fire: Fireproofing Yourself” focuses on the concept that if you must fight, get total victory. Although everyone will experience personal and professional attacks, it’s important how learn how to rise from the ashes after such an attack. I was intrigued by Chu’s suggestion to learn killer instinct by learning to flip a pancake in a frying pan.
Chapter thirteen, “Espionage” focuses on how to stay ahead of competitors by finding out all the information you can about their business. This chapter focuses on five types of spies as they relate to the workplace which are the village spy, an internal spy, a counterspy (double agent,) a doomed spy, and a survivor spy. This chapter also exposes how con artists can behave in the workplace and how to be mindful of their devious techniques.
The book ends with a final note by Chu in which she says that although the reader has finished the book, it’s meant to be revisited whenever the reader faces a difficult situation.
As I finished reading this book, I appreciated that early on, Chu states that this is not a motivational book but that she hopes that after reading, the reader will be motivated to use the tools in the book to get what they want.
August 12, 2016
I'm on page 7. I'm already a little pissed at how she talks about women AND men. Men are brutes and women are wily beguilers because of centuries of subjugation. Maybe she needs a history book because, rules or not, women as an entire group are not these delicate, live-to-please flowers she's making them out to be...
I picked this up because I wanted another interpretation of The Art of War. I most certainly have that. If you can manage to lay aside the June Cleaver era notion of femininity, though, there are good things to be found in this book. You just have to be willing to wade through a bit of pink bullshit to get to it. It's not the best, it's not the worst, but I think this is meant for an audience that isn't me.
After finishing it, I can say that there are some good nuggets of truth, but this book is definitely meant for someone who has no intention of reading the Art of War and/or is young an inexperienced OR has a traditionalist viewpoint on exactly what masculinity and femininity mean.
I picked this up because I wanted another interpretation of The Art of War. I most certainly have that. If you can manage to lay aside the June Cleaver era notion of femininity, though, there are good things to be found in this book. You just have to be willing to wade through a bit of pink bullshit to get to it. It's not the best, it's not the worst, but I think this is meant for an audience that isn't me.
After finishing it, I can say that there are some good nuggets of truth, but this book is definitely meant for someone who has no intention of reading the Art of War and/or is young an inexperienced OR has a traditionalist viewpoint on exactly what masculinity and femininity mean.
October 19, 2019
Learned a couple things from this book. First, I don’t read enough books by women. And second, I’m glad I didn’t try to read the Art of War with no context, since I would have missed the point. All of the points.
Art of War for Women is a wisdom book—some parts seem obvious, some seem arcane, and some hit you like a sack of bricks. This week is performance evaluation week at work, and I would be having a much better time if I had heard Sun Tzu’s advice about ambition and timing about six months ago.
Ching Ning Chu adds a lot of material to supplement the text. Some are case studies about how to apply the teachings as women in the workplace. Other parts have essays about balancing feminine and masculine traits, knowing yourself, and corporate espionage. Her approach to lying, reporting misconduct, and navigating workplace conflict is as utilitarian as her source material, making “Art of War for Women” more interesting and more ethically iffy than other self help books.
Art of War for Women is a wisdom book—some parts seem obvious, some seem arcane, and some hit you like a sack of bricks. This week is performance evaluation week at work, and I would be having a much better time if I had heard Sun Tzu’s advice about ambition and timing about six months ago.
Ching Ning Chu adds a lot of material to supplement the text. Some are case studies about how to apply the teachings as women in the workplace. Other parts have essays about balancing feminine and masculine traits, knowing yourself, and corporate espionage. Her approach to lying, reporting misconduct, and navigating workplace conflict is as utilitarian as her source material, making “Art of War for Women” more interesting and more ethically iffy than other self help books.
May 18, 2011
I was having some trouble leading projects at work when a friend who is successful at navigating the corporate world suggested that I read The Art of War. This classic Chinese book by Sun Tzu is a must-read at business school apparently. It's also a cryptic text that, outside of a class, might be difficult to interpret.
So when I happened upon the Art of War for Women while browsing the library catalogy, I thought, "Sweet, the cliff notes version."
I should some day go back and read the real Art of War, since this book is basically a business book for women peppered with an outline and quotes from The Art of War.
Still,it was a good book and gave me a lot to think about. I'd recommend it but it's not a substitute for reading the real deal.
So when I happened upon the Art of War for Women while browsing the library catalogy, I thought, "Sweet, the cliff notes version."
I should some day go back and read the real Art of War, since this book is basically a business book for women peppered with an outline and quotes from The Art of War.
Still,it was a good book and gave me a lot to think about. I'd recommend it but it's not a substitute for reading the real deal.
February 11, 2013
Having read Thick Face Black Heart I expected this book to be equally as insightful. I was disappointed.
I am sure there are women who would find it useful but the target audience was not me. Having read Sun Tzu's Art of War and parried with many a cunning, artful or skillful man in my own journey - and both lost and won - I found the perspective from which Chin-Ning Chu wrote a little too much 'the victim' for my liking. Still, this is a personal perspective and in saying that, I found the odd gem here and there.
An interration of what every woman in battle should know, or at least learned, this book is pitched firmly at the novice in battle and the battles of business. There was so much potential left untapped.
For me, it failed to live up to the sales pitch...
I am sure there are women who would find it useful but the target audience was not me. Having read Sun Tzu's Art of War and parried with many a cunning, artful or skillful man in my own journey - and both lost and won - I found the perspective from which Chin-Ning Chu wrote a little too much 'the victim' for my liking. Still, this is a personal perspective and in saying that, I found the odd gem here and there.
An interration of what every woman in battle should know, or at least learned, this book is pitched firmly at the novice in battle and the battles of business. There was so much potential left untapped.
For me, it failed to live up to the sales pitch...
February 25, 2025
The first book I read after getting back into reading didn't quite meet my expectations. I found it difficult to enjoy because much of the content was already familiar to me, which made it hard to stay focused.
I liked the central idea of the SunTzu's philosophy to avoid conflict whenever possible. But I personally believe at this point that where conflict is needed or present to not shy away and to stand your ground, all of which is covered in this book.
I liked the central idea of the SunTzu's philosophy to avoid conflict whenever possible. But I personally believe at this point that where conflict is needed or present to not shy away and to stand your ground, all of which is covered in this book.
June 30, 2020
I haven't technically finished this book but I am done with it because it sucks. It's incredibly boring and telling women to do all this shady passive aggressive stuff. I intended to push through the suffering of this book but what made me stop is that it said that other women are the main reason you will fail as a woman in the workplace because they will most likely instantly hate you
March 16, 2025
The whole structure of the book needs reorganizing. The book starts off by summarizing Sun Tzu's The Art of War with no relation to the book's main purpose of helping women in the workplace. Only after 46 pages of this summarizing does the book actually get to the point. Even then, the advice is so generalized that I only feel like I got one or two useful points of consideration.
April 17, 2012
This is a great book for women who work in business and have a corporate or 9-5 type of job.
November 30, 2023
When I told my previous manager (who happens to have entered parliament this week) about office politics that bothered me in my next job and asked her advice, she sighed and said: Read the book 'The Art of War for Women'.
I did, although it took me 4,5 years to finish, as it wasn't something to rush through in one go. It helped me reflect on myself in work (which of course Chin-Ning Chu describes as 'war'; happy it doesn't quite feel that way). And on typical female strengths in work.
Her main message is pretty common sense and yet she got through to me due to her explanations: think about what it is you really want to achieve - in work but also in life (and work-life balance); "the reality is that it is not about 'having it all.' It is about doing what makes you happy."
Also, know your strengths and weaknesses and use them to your advantage.
And female confidence: "How can we expect to be promoted if we do not envision ourselves as worthy for advancement and express that attitude outwardly?"
And the importance of style: "Help others to see you fit in the place where you want to be. The more you look the part, the likelier it is that you will get it."
The natural importance of creating low periods of rest. And quite a lot more!
I loved how she was quite unapologetic about various situations that simply can't be solved: get out of there girl!
In short, a recommended pep talk for women to rule the world.
I did, although it took me 4,5 years to finish, as it wasn't something to rush through in one go. It helped me reflect on myself in work (which of course Chin-Ning Chu describes as 'war'; happy it doesn't quite feel that way). And on typical female strengths in work.
Her main message is pretty common sense and yet she got through to me due to her explanations: think about what it is you really want to achieve - in work but also in life (and work-life balance); "the reality is that it is not about 'having it all.' It is about doing what makes you happy."
Also, know your strengths and weaknesses and use them to your advantage.
And female confidence: "How can we expect to be promoted if we do not envision ourselves as worthy for advancement and express that attitude outwardly?"
And the importance of style: "Help others to see you fit in the place where you want to be. The more you look the part, the likelier it is that you will get it."
The natural importance of creating low periods of rest. And quite a lot more!
I loved how she was quite unapologetic about various situations that simply can't be solved: get out of there girl!
In short, a recommended pep talk for women to rule the world.
February 16, 2025
empowering for survival mode, especially in corporate environment (supported by lots of examples). but somehow it influences me to see life as a war, and I don't find peace in that. Saya menyikapi buku ini seperti buku 48 Laws of Power, diambil pengetahuannya buat menjaga diri dari dunia yang bahaya ini. Tapi, ada ketidaksesuaian dalam cara saya pribadi memandang dunia dengan apa yang dipaparkan. Mungkin saya masih naif setelah semua yang sudah saya alami.
November 4, 2025
While The Art of War for the Workplace is primarily concerned with strategies for surviving and succeeding in professional environments, its insights extend beyond the office. Even in retirement, I found many of Chu’s interpretations relevant to everyday life and personal growth.
In contrast to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Chu supplements the original principles with numerous examples and anecdotes that demonstrate practical application. This approach makes the material more accessible but also somewhat less universal and enduring than the source text.
Nevertheless, the book is concise, engaging, and ultimately a worthwhile read.
Quotes…
But Sun Tzu…the man who wrote The Are of War some 2,500 year ago was Chinese, and the Chinese thing of war differently than we do in the West. To them, war does not revolve around fighting. It is about determining the most efficient way of gaining victory with the least amount of conflict. Ix
Although Sun Tzu’s book is about the application of strategies, every one of those strategies begins with having a deep understanding of the people we will be dealing with and our environment. But most important, it also require us to understand ourselves—our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and fears. In other words, this book is not about applying a series of rules coldly and dispassionately, but rather about integrating ourselves into the strategies we will employ. It is about building naturally on who we are and embracing our own unique personalities and talents to achieve what we want. X
Similarly, you will explore how your greatest strengths can become your biggest weaknesses. X
The Art of War is about life, death, fear, courage, subterfuge, integrity, victory and defeat, honor and disgrace, profit and loss, unpredictability and simplicity, accountability and responsibility. It is also about relationships and interacting with those you view as generals, your fellow soldiers—even your competitors. Most of all, it is about how you deal with the cards that life has dealt you—it is a holistic approach to winning. Xii
Before waging a war, the five elements that govern success must be examined. Only then can a proper assessment be done. Those five elements are: 1. Tao (moral standing or ethics); 2. Tien (timing); 2. Di (terrain or resources); 4. Jiang (leadership); 5. Fa (managing). ~ The Art of War
Play with the power of paradox. Taoist philosophy, which Sun Tzu’s Art of War is based on, recognizes that good and evil are not opposing forces. The opposites are not absolute; rather they are related—just as we know beauty because we have also seen ugliness and know short only as it compares to tall. … This is the first step to understanding The Art of War; you have to give up your attachment to clear-cut realities and instead embrace the whole spectrum of colors of paradox and ambiguity. This is the foundation of the art of war and the art of lile. 11
Every action you take can be measured on a scale of right to wrong. 13
The second question you must ask yourself before making any decision is: Is this driven by my ego a supersized ego holds the seeds of self-destruction. 15
When you’re anxious, it is best to do nothing until you can let your anxiety go so that harmony, hope, and optimism—the characteristics of Tao—can be restored. 17
Who will be served and who will be hurt? The more people you serve, and the fewer you hurt, the greater your success. 17
Don’t do anything just to be outrageous. Whatever you choose to do should be a natural extension of your personality, or it will definitely backfire. 25
Deception is the last essential point in the first chapter of The Art of War. It’s about appearing weak if you are strong, close when you are far away, and creating situations where you bring out your enemy’s worst traits in order to defeat him. 33
Don’t show off. Let people discover you. You do not have to work hard to get attention. Work hard at your job instead, and people will notice. Voice your opinion only when the situation calls for it. If you are as smart as you think you are, your brilliance will come through. I am not suggesting silence. If you have brilliant ideas, assert yourself—but do so at the right time and in the right way. 33-4
In order to ensure your own survival, generously reward those who bring in results. If you don’t liberally reward your superior performers, most likely you will end up creating your own competition. If your employers aren’t rewarding your superior performance, become the competition. 39
But before you can do any of that, you need to take a giant step back. Understanding the opposition begins with understanding yourself. Why? Because you filter all the information about others through your own lens—one that is already clouded by your own thoughts and experiences. 46
As Lao Tzu, on whose philosophy Sun Tzu’s strategy was built, said, “knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment.” If you don’t know yourself, then all your information about others will be interpreted improperly; it will be distorted and quite possibly defective, putting you at a huge disadvantage once the battle begins. 47
The “real you” I’m talking about means the way you react to difficult situations, what you worry about, and how you view the world—the things that help or hurt you in your business and personal life. If you know this “real you,” you are bound to make the same mistakes over and over again; before long you might find yourself on the treadmill labeled “professional victim.” You know the type—the people who say, “Why does the world always pick on me?” without questioning their own behavior. 48-9
But if you don’t understand that the customers who say no aren’t rejecting you personally—if you make no distinction between friends who turn you down and customers who do—you will spend all your time at work feeling hurt. … You understand that people are rejecting your sales pitch because they don’t need your product, not because you are a bad person. 50
The next time you find yourself getting upset over something trivial, find a quiet place where you can think about what’s really bothering you. 53
Live every workday as it it were your last day on the job, and you’ll be amazed at how focused and confident you’ll be! 55
Victory is ultimately created by your opponent. He will do certain things that guarantee his defeat—and your victory. Take advantage of them. 65
A winner experiences winning in her body, mind, and soul before she even goes to fight the battle. 67
Be nice to yourself first. Let the rest of humanity take care of themselves. 69
Id you dig down deep enough to discover who you are, what you want, and what is right for you, your honesty will guide you to your personal happiness. 71
Successful women worldwide have one thing in common: They don’t see the glass ceiling. 75
Walking the walk and talking the talk can get you so far, but it’s the spirit behind your actions, words, and appearance that announces your inner state. 76
The Crabs-in-the-Pot Syndrome: In an effort to keep each other down, women seem to have fallen prey to something I call the crabs-in-the-pot syndrome. When you cook crabs, you don’t have to place the lid on the boiling pot because the crabs keep one another from getting out. As one crab gets near the top and attempts to climb over the edge, another crab will naturally pull it down in its own attempt to escape. As a result, all the crabs to to their collective doom. 110 Give the illusion you are outside the pot. 112
When your opponent cannot recognize your strength versus your weaknesses, then you are in control of your opponent’s fate. 112
Just as crabs can pull only those crabs that are withing the same pot, people can direct jealousy toward you only if you allow them to become too close to you. The closer a person is to you, the more likely she will be able to harbor destructive thoughts about you. So, be sure to keep a mental and physical disitance from the aggressive crabs around you. Do not expose yourself their viciousness by coming “buddy buddy,” or overly friendly with your office coworkers. The friendlier you are, the more you look like a crab in the same pot. If you are pleasant while maintaining a mental distance, you create both a sense of mystery and an illusion that you are outside the pot. 112-3
While the Good Book says to turn the other cheek when you are mistreated, it also teaches us about an eye for an eye. That is the part you want to concentrate on when it comes to office jealousies. You need to stop the attacks on you right at the beginning. Instead of turning your cheek, slap the offender twice (figuratively, of course), and you will never have to deal with a situation that could, in time, grow out of all proportion. Surprise your offender by following Sun Tzu’s advice: Strike back hard and unexpectedly. When you slap back with your words, make your spirit is firm, powerful, and immovable like a mountain, without a smell, without anger. And never raise your voice. 113
By supporting a capable coworker, you effectively turn competitive misfortune into acareer advantage. Support that brilliant, talented lady who is now working under you. (yes, the one you feel threatened by.) Here’s why. Even if you don’t support her, if she ahs inherent ability, she is going to thrive anyway. She may well get promoted over you, or you may find yourself working below her at a different firm Years from now. Using to recognize her talents and help her develop them is going to make you look small minded, jealous, and easily threatened. It's something your boss will notice now--and the rising star will remember later period 113-4
Take a chance and support another woman. By doing the right thing, you may just be saving your own skin. Word of caution, however. Make sure you do not demand her instant appreciation. If you do, all is lost because you have already collected your payment period when you give your unconditional support, the payment will come back to you with generous interest. 114
The First and foremost direct objective in our lives is not to get promoted or make money, but rather to be the best human being we can be. 114-5
Nothing ever happens by accident. If an unpleasant event happens to you, that is the universe's way of telling you where you need to change and find your character. Through trial and tribulation, we strengthen our spirit and expand our ability for tolerance. Eventually, the minor event of office jealousy will be like an Ant crawling across your hand. You just brush off the incident with your mind. When the offender cannot offend you no matter how she tries, you have taken the fun out of her vicious game and all the power out of her soul. This is the best strategy to manage office jealousies. On your way up, there will always be women attempting to pull you back down. No matter how vicious they are, as long as you hold to your inner vision and see yourself as the innovative, adaptive, and creative woman you are a comma no person or circumstance can hold you back. As a group, we women had better wise up. It is in our interest to help other capable women get out of the steaming pot first, so that they can turn around and help us all escape. 115
Simmering is not The same as doing nothing. Simmering allows you to gather the strength you'll need to complete an activity. Every one of us has had the experience of becoming dramatically more productive after a period of simmering. Before a large project, such as writing a book, I need time to myself. I know when I've built up enough inspiration because I feel like I'm ready to boil. It's only then that I can blast through the chapters. 127
No Good can come of praising or punishing people… when they don't deserve it.146
They pretend to be your ally, yet, for some real or imagined reasons, they see you as a threat. These types of people pretend to support you so they can keep a close eye on you. The simple rule of detecting deceit is call and trust your gut. When your gut is telling you to be wary of your supposed ally, while your mind criticizes you for being suspicious, always go with your gut. 153
This chapter is not intended to teach you how to start conflicts, just as Kung Fu is not about learning how to start street fights. The highest strategy is to engender peace and harmony among your office coworkers because where there is harmony, there is Tao; and where there is Tao, there is prosperity. But when conflicts of interest become unavoidable, it helps to know how to defend yourself and win against adversity. This is the creative adaption of Fa. 158
No 1one has to go for the kill in order to prove she is noble. And if you set the careers of others on fire for your own gain, just wait… someone, or some other time, will send the fire hurling back at you--only this time, it will be stronger. The cliche is right: when you play with fire, you get burned. If someone has set out to destroy your good name on your career, trust me: she cannot harm you if you do not decide to be harmed. Once you understand that, you can choose whether the battle is worth fighting. 184
Transcend the experience of suffering. The word endurance implies you are suffering. If you can't stop the circumstances that are causing your suffering, you can transcend the experience. How do you reach that state? By understanding that the people who harmed you acted out of ignorance or were motivated by stupidity. They thought they would gain something by hurting you. But you can rise above their actions through the force of your mental wisdom. Imagine that your life is a basket, and the contents of that basket include both pleasant and unpleasant experiences and people. If your behavior is in line with Tao, righteousness, you will see the unpleasant situations as nothing but minor irritations that you have to dig through to get to the good stuff. In time you may even be able to view these annoyances as lessons in disguise. 189
In contrast to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, Chu supplements the original principles with numerous examples and anecdotes that demonstrate practical application. This approach makes the material more accessible but also somewhat less universal and enduring than the source text.
Nevertheless, the book is concise, engaging, and ultimately a worthwhile read.
Quotes…
But Sun Tzu…the man who wrote The Are of War some 2,500 year ago was Chinese, and the Chinese thing of war differently than we do in the West. To them, war does not revolve around fighting. It is about determining the most efficient way of gaining victory with the least amount of conflict. Ix
Although Sun Tzu’s book is about the application of strategies, every one of those strategies begins with having a deep understanding of the people we will be dealing with and our environment. But most important, it also require us to understand ourselves—our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and fears. In other words, this book is not about applying a series of rules coldly and dispassionately, but rather about integrating ourselves into the strategies we will employ. It is about building naturally on who we are and embracing our own unique personalities and talents to achieve what we want. X
Similarly, you will explore how your greatest strengths can become your biggest weaknesses. X
The Art of War is about life, death, fear, courage, subterfuge, integrity, victory and defeat, honor and disgrace, profit and loss, unpredictability and simplicity, accountability and responsibility. It is also about relationships and interacting with those you view as generals, your fellow soldiers—even your competitors. Most of all, it is about how you deal with the cards that life has dealt you—it is a holistic approach to winning. Xii
Before waging a war, the five elements that govern success must be examined. Only then can a proper assessment be done. Those five elements are: 1. Tao (moral standing or ethics); 2. Tien (timing); 2. Di (terrain or resources); 4. Jiang (leadership); 5. Fa (managing). ~ The Art of War
Play with the power of paradox. Taoist philosophy, which Sun Tzu’s Art of War is based on, recognizes that good and evil are not opposing forces. The opposites are not absolute; rather they are related—just as we know beauty because we have also seen ugliness and know short only as it compares to tall. … This is the first step to understanding The Art of War; you have to give up your attachment to clear-cut realities and instead embrace the whole spectrum of colors of paradox and ambiguity. This is the foundation of the art of war and the art of lile. 11
Every action you take can be measured on a scale of right to wrong. 13
The second question you must ask yourself before making any decision is: Is this driven by my ego a supersized ego holds the seeds of self-destruction. 15
When you’re anxious, it is best to do nothing until you can let your anxiety go so that harmony, hope, and optimism—the characteristics of Tao—can be restored. 17
Who will be served and who will be hurt? The more people you serve, and the fewer you hurt, the greater your success. 17
Don’t do anything just to be outrageous. Whatever you choose to do should be a natural extension of your personality, or it will definitely backfire. 25
Deception is the last essential point in the first chapter of The Art of War. It’s about appearing weak if you are strong, close when you are far away, and creating situations where you bring out your enemy’s worst traits in order to defeat him. 33
Don’t show off. Let people discover you. You do not have to work hard to get attention. Work hard at your job instead, and people will notice. Voice your opinion only when the situation calls for it. If you are as smart as you think you are, your brilliance will come through. I am not suggesting silence. If you have brilliant ideas, assert yourself—but do so at the right time and in the right way. 33-4
In order to ensure your own survival, generously reward those who bring in results. If you don’t liberally reward your superior performers, most likely you will end up creating your own competition. If your employers aren’t rewarding your superior performance, become the competition. 39
But before you can do any of that, you need to take a giant step back. Understanding the opposition begins with understanding yourself. Why? Because you filter all the information about others through your own lens—one that is already clouded by your own thoughts and experiences. 46
As Lao Tzu, on whose philosophy Sun Tzu’s strategy was built, said, “knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is enlightenment.” If you don’t know yourself, then all your information about others will be interpreted improperly; it will be distorted and quite possibly defective, putting you at a huge disadvantage once the battle begins. 47
The “real you” I’m talking about means the way you react to difficult situations, what you worry about, and how you view the world—the things that help or hurt you in your business and personal life. If you know this “real you,” you are bound to make the same mistakes over and over again; before long you might find yourself on the treadmill labeled “professional victim.” You know the type—the people who say, “Why does the world always pick on me?” without questioning their own behavior. 48-9
But if you don’t understand that the customers who say no aren’t rejecting you personally—if you make no distinction between friends who turn you down and customers who do—you will spend all your time at work feeling hurt. … You understand that people are rejecting your sales pitch because they don’t need your product, not because you are a bad person. 50
The next time you find yourself getting upset over something trivial, find a quiet place where you can think about what’s really bothering you. 53
Live every workday as it it were your last day on the job, and you’ll be amazed at how focused and confident you’ll be! 55
Victory is ultimately created by your opponent. He will do certain things that guarantee his defeat—and your victory. Take advantage of them. 65
A winner experiences winning in her body, mind, and soul before she even goes to fight the battle. 67
Be nice to yourself first. Let the rest of humanity take care of themselves. 69
Id you dig down deep enough to discover who you are, what you want, and what is right for you, your honesty will guide you to your personal happiness. 71
Successful women worldwide have one thing in common: They don’t see the glass ceiling. 75
Walking the walk and talking the talk can get you so far, but it’s the spirit behind your actions, words, and appearance that announces your inner state. 76
The Crabs-in-the-Pot Syndrome: In an effort to keep each other down, women seem to have fallen prey to something I call the crabs-in-the-pot syndrome. When you cook crabs, you don’t have to place the lid on the boiling pot because the crabs keep one another from getting out. As one crab gets near the top and attempts to climb over the edge, another crab will naturally pull it down in its own attempt to escape. As a result, all the crabs to to their collective doom. 110 Give the illusion you are outside the pot. 112
When your opponent cannot recognize your strength versus your weaknesses, then you are in control of your opponent’s fate. 112
Just as crabs can pull only those crabs that are withing the same pot, people can direct jealousy toward you only if you allow them to become too close to you. The closer a person is to you, the more likely she will be able to harbor destructive thoughts about you. So, be sure to keep a mental and physical disitance from the aggressive crabs around you. Do not expose yourself their viciousness by coming “buddy buddy,” or overly friendly with your office coworkers. The friendlier you are, the more you look like a crab in the same pot. If you are pleasant while maintaining a mental distance, you create both a sense of mystery and an illusion that you are outside the pot. 112-3
While the Good Book says to turn the other cheek when you are mistreated, it also teaches us about an eye for an eye. That is the part you want to concentrate on when it comes to office jealousies. You need to stop the attacks on you right at the beginning. Instead of turning your cheek, slap the offender twice (figuratively, of course), and you will never have to deal with a situation that could, in time, grow out of all proportion. Surprise your offender by following Sun Tzu’s advice: Strike back hard and unexpectedly. When you slap back with your words, make your spirit is firm, powerful, and immovable like a mountain, without a smell, without anger. And never raise your voice. 113
By supporting a capable coworker, you effectively turn competitive misfortune into acareer advantage. Support that brilliant, talented lady who is now working under you. (yes, the one you feel threatened by.) Here’s why. Even if you don’t support her, if she ahs inherent ability, she is going to thrive anyway. She may well get promoted over you, or you may find yourself working below her at a different firm Years from now. Using to recognize her talents and help her develop them is going to make you look small minded, jealous, and easily threatened. It's something your boss will notice now--and the rising star will remember later period 113-4
Take a chance and support another woman. By doing the right thing, you may just be saving your own skin. Word of caution, however. Make sure you do not demand her instant appreciation. If you do, all is lost because you have already collected your payment period when you give your unconditional support, the payment will come back to you with generous interest. 114
The First and foremost direct objective in our lives is not to get promoted or make money, but rather to be the best human being we can be. 114-5
Nothing ever happens by accident. If an unpleasant event happens to you, that is the universe's way of telling you where you need to change and find your character. Through trial and tribulation, we strengthen our spirit and expand our ability for tolerance. Eventually, the minor event of office jealousy will be like an Ant crawling across your hand. You just brush off the incident with your mind. When the offender cannot offend you no matter how she tries, you have taken the fun out of her vicious game and all the power out of her soul. This is the best strategy to manage office jealousies. On your way up, there will always be women attempting to pull you back down. No matter how vicious they are, as long as you hold to your inner vision and see yourself as the innovative, adaptive, and creative woman you are a comma no person or circumstance can hold you back. As a group, we women had better wise up. It is in our interest to help other capable women get out of the steaming pot first, so that they can turn around and help us all escape. 115
Simmering is not The same as doing nothing. Simmering allows you to gather the strength you'll need to complete an activity. Every one of us has had the experience of becoming dramatically more productive after a period of simmering. Before a large project, such as writing a book, I need time to myself. I know when I've built up enough inspiration because I feel like I'm ready to boil. It's only then that I can blast through the chapters. 127
No Good can come of praising or punishing people… when they don't deserve it.146
They pretend to be your ally, yet, for some real or imagined reasons, they see you as a threat. These types of people pretend to support you so they can keep a close eye on you. The simple rule of detecting deceit is call and trust your gut. When your gut is telling you to be wary of your supposed ally, while your mind criticizes you for being suspicious, always go with your gut. 153
This chapter is not intended to teach you how to start conflicts, just as Kung Fu is not about learning how to start street fights. The highest strategy is to engender peace and harmony among your office coworkers because where there is harmony, there is Tao; and where there is Tao, there is prosperity. But when conflicts of interest become unavoidable, it helps to know how to defend yourself and win against adversity. This is the creative adaption of Fa. 158
No 1one has to go for the kill in order to prove she is noble. And if you set the careers of others on fire for your own gain, just wait… someone, or some other time, will send the fire hurling back at you--only this time, it will be stronger. The cliche is right: when you play with fire, you get burned. If someone has set out to destroy your good name on your career, trust me: she cannot harm you if you do not decide to be harmed. Once you understand that, you can choose whether the battle is worth fighting. 184
Transcend the experience of suffering. The word endurance implies you are suffering. If you can't stop the circumstances that are causing your suffering, you can transcend the experience. How do you reach that state? By understanding that the people who harmed you acted out of ignorance or were motivated by stupidity. They thought they would gain something by hurting you. But you can rise above their actions through the force of your mental wisdom. Imagine that your life is a basket, and the contents of that basket include both pleasant and unpleasant experiences and people. If your behavior is in line with Tao, righteousness, you will see the unpleasant situations as nothing but minor irritations that you have to dig through to get to the good stuff. In time you may even be able to view these annoyances as lessons in disguise. 189
September 19, 2019
Lots of good points and thought provoking. A few sexist remarks. As a Canadian I thought her anti-American remarks were funny though. 😂
January 6, 2022
this is shit.
June 20, 2014
Non so come sia finito nella mia libreria. Dopo anni e anni, vedendolo lì ma mai neppure sfiorandolo, mi sono detto: non è forse il mio stile, ma diamogli un'opportunità. E invece questo libro è l'ennesima prova che la spazzatura editoriale esisteva abbondantemente molto prima dell'avvento dell'autopubblicazione. Approfitta del filone "-per donne", di gran successo economico ma di scarso contenuto, ammicca ai torti storici degli uomini nei confronti delle donne, snatura il messaggio dell' Arte della Guerra di Sun-Tzu convinta di averlo capito, sparge ovunque chiacchiere da bar sport puntellandole con affermazioni tipo "i grandi strateghi della storia..." o "i grandi saggi...". Le donne che lavorano meriterebbero ben altro che questo ciarpame.
February 10, 2011
This was an interesting book, definitely worth the read. There were passages that made me think of work situations which I have encountered, and one chapter in particular that made me question my own goals and philosophy. I found the philosophical base of the text to be better founded than More Plato, Less I can´t say that I´d prefer to read book as opposed to a novel, but it´s good to mix it up sometimes.
November 7, 2011
This was a good read, but left me wanting more. I think this was a natural outcome of trying to boil down a very complex work into a thin and easy to read volume.
The strongest points were:
Her list of 8 ways to repackage womanhood. (However, this might make some feminists' heads spin.)
Strategies for overcoming office jealousy
Discontentment as the root of creativity
Selling yourself first, then your ideas
The strongest points were:
Her list of 8 ways to repackage womanhood. (However, this might make some feminists' heads spin.)
Strategies for overcoming office jealousy
Discontentment as the root of creativity
Selling yourself first, then your ideas
October 17, 2011
listening to this via audio on my daily commute... it has become so useful in my day to day interactions thus far looking forward to learning more about myself as I continue to listen...
Finished today... I learned that the true art in winning any battle in life or work is having the strength to know how to identify your strengths and weaknesses and what resources to use to enhance and/or compensate them...
Finished today... I learned that the true art in winning any battle in life or work is having the strength to know how to identify your strengths and weaknesses and what resources to use to enhance and/or compensate them...
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April 6, 2012If you work in a business environment such as sales, management, or are a CEO this book is perfect for you. It takes a bit of work to translate for your individual and particular situation if you are not in a business position. It's great for trying to find balance and a sense of peace in yourself in order to succeed. Sun Tzu also emphasizes and teaches you to know yourself, know your enemy, and know your environment.
March 6, 2019
The Art of War for Women by Chin-Ning Chu. Someone on my flist recommended this. It's extremely good. AN impressive amount of scholarship went into it - she went back and translated the earliest known copy of Sun Tzu's work and she and her editors read four or five others. Her points are well taken.
I'm going to have to read it several times. It can be as impenetrable as Art of War itself. Her writing is clear enough. It's that the book is very meaty - lots to digest.
I'm going to have to read it several times. It can be as impenetrable as Art of War itself. Her writing is clear enough. It's that the book is very meaty - lots to digest.
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