The 13 principles of The Art of War
Sun Tzu's Art of War has 13 chapters, and each one teaches a principle. In short: assess before you act, move quickly, win without fighting, make yourself unbeatable first, combine the ordinary with the unexpected, strike weakness not strength, take the indirect road, adapt, read the signs, know the ground, fit the move to the situation, use conditions and never act from anger, and win through information. Here is each one in plain English, with how it applies to business.
1. Laying Plans
Assess before you act. Sun Tzu weighs five factors - purpose, timing, ground, leadership and discipline - before any campaign begins.
In business: Score a decision on those five fronts before you commit money or people to it.
2. Waging War
Speed matters and delay is expensive. A long campaign drains the side that wages it.
In business: Put a short, fixed horizon on projects; a slow launch costs more than a rough one.
3. Attack by Stratagem
Win without fighting. The best victory breaks the opponent's plan before a battle starts. Know yourself and know your opponent.
In business: Win the deal by solving the problem the competitor ignored, not by undercutting their price.
4. Tactical Dispositions
Make yourself unbeatable first, then wait for the opening the opponent gives you.
In business: Fix your own weak points - cash, delivery, reputation - before you chase growth.
5. Energy
Combine the ordinary move with the unexpected one; momentum comes from that combination.
In business: Keep a dependable core offer and add one move a competitor would not expect.
6. Weak Points and Strong
Strike where the opponent is empty; avoid where they are strong.
In business: Compete in the segment your largest rival serves badly, not where they are dominant.
7. Maneuvering
Turn the long road into the short one. The indirect route is often the faster way in.
In business: A niche entry point can reach a market sooner than a head-on launch.
8. Variation in Tactics
Adapt. Some roads should not be taken and some orders should not be followed.
In business: Treat rules of thumb as defaults, and know the conditions that break them.
9. The Army on the March
Read the signs. Small observations reveal the opponent's real condition.
In business: Watch pricing changes, hiring and reviews - they show a competitor's position before any announcement.
10. Terrain
Know the ground. Different terrain gives different advantages and dangers.
In business: Understand your market's structure - regulation, channels, switching costs - before you pick a strategy.
11. The Nine Situations
Each situation calls for a different response, from easy ground to desperate ground.
In business: Match the move to the stage you are in: a start-up and an established firm should not act the same way.
12. The Attack by Fire
Use conditions as a force multiplier, and never act from anger.
In business: Time your move to market conditions, and never make a strategic decision in the heat of a dispute.
13. The Use of Spies
Foreknowledge wins. It comes from people and information, not guesswork.
In business: Talk to customers and read the market before you commit; information is the cheapest advantage.
Questions people ask
What are the 13 principles of war according to Sun Tzu?
They follow the 13 chapters of The Art of War: Laying Plans, Waging War, Attack by Stratagem, Tactical Dispositions, Energy, Weak Points and Strong, Maneuvering, Variation in Tactics, The Army on the March, Terrain, The Nine Situations, The Attack by Fire, and The Use of Spies. Each chapter carries one core principle, listed above.
What are the key principles of Sun Tzu's Art of War?
Four run through the whole book: win without fighting where you can; know yourself and know your opponent; make yourself unbeatable before looking for the win; and strike where the opponent is weak rather than where they are strong.
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— The LearnTzu Team