Start 2006 by Build + Connect + Lead with a Strategy.

My first article for the yr 2006 at Jade Dragon.com. It is a short listing of books on ["Strategy and Leadership"].

If you like the suggested books and interested in purchasing any of the titles, please purchase it through Jadedragon.com

Do not own any percentage of it. Just helping out a friend.

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Cardinal




A New Year's List of Books on Strategy and Leadership

Here is a New Year's list of books for those who are looking to start the year out with a mindset towards strategy and leadership. We believe these books should be in the library of everyone who is interested in the Asian strategic mind.

Let's start with the book the premier book on Chinese strategic mindset—Sunzi (or Sun Tzu) Art of War.

According to Amazon.com, "The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of military theory—a different tool for any situation. Folded into this small package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility, and practicality.

Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: 'Lure them in with the prospect of gain, take them by confusion' or 'Invincibility is in one's self; vulnerability is in the opponent.' Sun Tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun Tzu's advice: 'Though effective, appear to be ineffective."

-- Brian Bruya, Amazon.com

Presented here together for the first time are the greatest of the ancient Chinese classics of strategic thought: The Complete Art of War. Probably the most famous work of strategy ever written, Sun Tzu: The Art of War has sold millions of copies in many languages around the world. Lost for more than 2,000 years and only recently recovered, The Military Methods of Sun Pin (by Sun Tzu's great-grandson) is a brilliant elaboration on his ancestor's work. Only The Complete Art of War brings the wisdom of these two ancient sages into a single volume and gives the reader a unique opportunity to master the essentials of Chinese thought on strategy, organization, and leadership.

Our favorite interpretations of Sunzi's The Art of War are shown below (available at Amazon.com):

And for those who are business-inclined, we recommend Sun Tzu and the Art of Business: Six Strategic Principles for Managers.
"If you've ever felt that business is like war, [this] new business book based on the teachings of an ancient Chinese warrior has much to offer."

- Entrepreneur Magazine

"K-Mart, AT&T, Xerox, and General Motors would have saved themselves billions of dollars if their past CEOs had read this book."

- Dr. Philip Kotler, Northwestern University

For those interested in modern warfare, we recommend Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare.

"'When the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.' So wrote the Chinese strategist Sun Tzu more than two millennia ago in the text that has come to be known as The Art of War, one that guides military planners to this day. Former infantry officer Mark McNeilly examines the lessons of Sun Tzu's book not metaphorically, as he did for the boardroom in his Sun Tzu and the Art of Business, but literally, considering its dicta on such matters as the necessity of speedy action and solid leadership in the light of real battles and campaigns throughout history—and those yet to be fought. For instance, McNeilly looks at the Allied victory over Iraq in the light of Sun Tzu's pronouncement, 'Just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness.' Matching intelligent commentary with a complete text of Sun Tzu's classic, McNeilly's book is of much interest to students of military history and current events alike."

--Gregory McNamee, Amazon.com

Note: Both of Mark McNeilly's books also contain a copy of Samuel F. Griffith's translation of Sun Tzu of the War, a great bargain for novice and experienced strategists.

What I enjoy most about Mark McNeilly's books is that the reader is shown how Sun Tzu's strategic principles can be successfully applied to modern business and warfare situations. Not many books do that, whereas Samuel Griffith's interpretation focuses on delineating all of the components regarding to Sun Tzu's strategic framework.

Another good book on warfare is Fire and Water: The Art of Incendiary and Aquatic Warfare in China. This book examines the evolution and practice of these two aggressive methods from both the theoretical and historical standpoints, provides translations of the key writings from Sun-Tzu onward, and reprises numerous battles in which they were employed to dramatic effect. Technological developments are concurrently examined, including gunpowder's discovery and dedicated early employment as a deliberate incendiary from the Sung, including such crucial battles as Ch'ih Pi and P'o-yang Lake.

For those interested in strategy, we recommend The Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China. This book contains 36 different types of deceptive schemes that can be used to achieve personal strategic objectives. These 36 schemes can be categorized into these six categories: Stratagems When in Superior Position, Stratagems for Confrontation, Stratagems for Attack, Stratagems for Confused Situations, Stratagems for Gaining Ground, and Stratagems for Desperate Situations.

Another interesting book that focuses on the 36 stratagems and Asian business culture is The Asian Mind Game: Unlocking the Hidden Agenda of the Asian Business Culture: A Westerner's Survival Manual

For those who have read and understood the strategic principles of Sun Tzu and the 36 stratagems, try The Tao of Spycraft: Intelligence Theory and Practice in Traditional China by Ralph D. Sawyer, Mei-Chun Sawyer. This book is an interesting extension of Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Chapter 13 "Use of Spies." A highly recommended book for those who are in the information-gathering business. The Tao of Spycraft will give the novice strategist insight on the importance of information gathering. As a note to the reader, there are many good desktop strategists who are technically inadequate in gathering intelligence. Through proper intelligence gathering, you can know the intent and the logistics of the opposition. Only then can you ever gain an edge in your strategy against your opposition.

Other books we recommend include the following historical novels: Romance of Three Kingdoms by Lou Guan Zhong is not just the novelized version of the history record "Three Kingdoms." The story is based on the history of ancient China around late 2nd century to late 3rd century when the Chinese continent was divided by three strong kingdoms, Shu (Gui in Japanese), Wu (GO in Japanese), and Wei (SHOKU in Japanese). On first reading you will enjoy the way the characters outsmart the other camps. On second reading you will be struck by the humanity upon which the story is based. It is much more than a legend. It will surely get you closer to the mind of Chinese and Japanese. (-- susumu-5 from Japan) Romance of the Three Kingdoms (San Guo Yan Yi) is seen as the book of wisdom relevant to all parts of life: interpersonal, competitive, rhetorical, ethical, military, economic, as well as at home, work, play, and war. The premise of the story is that there are three men who pledge to be brothers and to overthrow the usurper who has displaced the rightful emperor from the throne. What follows is a breathtaking picture of ancient Chinese life, battle strategy, and court intrigue. (Chris Miller from Hamilton, Ontario Canada) Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel is "A martial epic with an astonishing fidelity to history, which has been translated now into lively English by Moss Roberts. The subject matter of the Three Kingdoms has long held an extraordinary grip on the Chinese imagination. The great achievement of the author was to match historiography with fiction and gain a synergistic effect from the combination of elite and popular tradition." (Patrick Hanan, New York Times Book Review)

Other recommended books: Mastering the Art of War: A translation of Zhuge Liang's The Way of General can be found in the Thomas Cleary book Mastering the Art of War. This book clearly delineated Zhuge Liang's thoughts on strategy, organization, and leadership. Cleary's book also included Liu Ji's (another famous Chinese statesman-general) serious commentary on the original framework of Sun Tzu principles, then extends the parameters. Basically this book is an in-depth study of The Art of War, detailing the practical applications of waging war both materially and mentally, with a focus toward leadership and strategic thinking. A Book of Five Rings: For those who are interested in the inner qualities of warriors from the perspective of Japan's Sword Saint Miyamoto Musashi, try Vic Harris's translation of Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings. "To learn a Japanese martial art is to learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does help—especially if that book is The Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai swordmasters penned in decisive, unfaltering terms this certain path to victory, and like Sun Tzu's The Art of War it is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in all forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at vulnerabilities—these are some of the basic principles." (Brian Bruya) Sun Pin Military Methods: "A remarkable text from the Middle Warring States period" Seven Military Classics of Ancient China: "Should be read by anyone interested in Chinese military thought" One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies: Battle and Tactics of Chinese Warfare: "Best of all translations I have seen of Chinese military philosophy" Tao of War: "The martial Tao Te Ching" Ling Ch'i Ching: "The most popular Chinese oracle"

Some recommended books on Taoism and Zen: Tao Te Ching: The Way of Virtue (Lao Tzu). My favorite translations are by Stephen Mitchell, Gia-Fu Feng, and Jane English Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind and Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness (Shunryu Suzuki's) The Zen Doctrine of No-Mind (D.T. Suzuki's: Princeton Press's book on the I-Ching)

Learning how to play Go is another way to learn strategy. Here is a small list of our favorite beginner GO books: Learn to Play Go: A Master's Guide to the Ultimate Game (Volume I) by Janice Kim Go for Beginners by Kaoru Iwamoto