Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, So today we're diving into a leadership guide
(00:02):
that's been around for like over twenty five hundred years.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yeah, talk about standing the test of time.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Right, we're talking sens is the Art of War. Yeah,
but don't worry. You don't need to be a general
or you know, on a battlefield to find this stuff insightful.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Not at all.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
We're actually focusing on leadership lessons from the Art of
War for today to see how these ancient strategies can
well help you lead.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Anything exactly, whether it's a team, is work, a project
you're leading, or even just like your own personal goals.
It's all connected.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
It really is now. I gotta admit, when I first
dug into the Art of War, I was kind of
blown away by how much of it still feels relevant today.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
It's amazing, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Like Sun Sus is dropping some serious knowledge. For instance,
he was really big on this idea that every battle
is won before it's fought.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Hmmm. That's a powerful statement.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Right, So how does that I don't know. How does
that translate to say, absolutely nailing a presentation at work?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well, I think it starts with preparation. It's like laying
the ground to work for success.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Okay, I like that laying the groundwork.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Just like a general wouldn't go into battle without a
deep understanding of the terrain, the strengths and weaknesses of
their army. A leader shouldn't go into any situation without
doing their homework.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
So it's about being prepared, knowing what you're up against.
It's about research, understanding your.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Audience, absolutely knowing your own strengths and weaknesses too, right, And.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
That actually reminds me something. Our source material, Leadership Lessons
from the Art of War for Today, really emphasizes the
principle of knowing your terrain.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Oh, that's a good one. It's not just about knowing
yourself though, right, right.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
It's about understanding your team, your competition, the whole playing.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Field, and that playing field is always changing, which is
why this principle is so important.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
That's a great point. So how would a leader, I
don't know, let's say a sales manager, how would they
put this knowing your terrain idea into action?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Well, a sales manager who really knows their terrain, they
wouldn't just throw any salesperson into any pitch, right. They
consider each team member's strengths. You know who works best
with what kind of clients.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
So what's about strategy?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Absolutely, and understanding the competitive landscape too, who else is
out there trying to make the sale. What are their
strengths and weaknesses. It's about making informed strategic decisions.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
That makes a lot of sense. You know. It reminds
me a little bit of that movie Moneyball.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Oh yeah, with Brad Pitch.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, exactly. Remember how they used all that data analysis
to build a baseball team. Like they weren't just going
after the big name players.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
They were looking for value for the players who would
actually make the biggest impact.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Exactly, and they won because they really understood their terrain, right,
they knew the players, the stats, the whole game exactly.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
And speaking of understanding your team, Sunsu he really stressed
the importance of caring for those you lead, Like he
has this famous line regard your soldiers as your children.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Okay, so maybe we leave the children analogy back in ancient.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
China, right, times have changed.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
But I get what he's getting at, Like, there's something
powerful about a leader who genuinely cares about the well
being of their team.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It builds trust, fosters loyalty.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Absolutely, and those are I mean those are crucial for
any team or organization to be successful, right.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
It's huge. Think about it. When you've got a team
that really trusts you, that respects you, are they going
to be more likely to just do the bare minimum
or are they going to be willing to go that
extra mile?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, I mean, nobody wants to feel like they're just
a cog in the machine.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Right exactly. We all want to know our work has meaning,
that we're valued.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Absolutely. It makes a huge difference.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
And that kind of loyalty, it's not just about feeling good, right,
It's about having each other's backs, especially when things get tough, because,
let's face it, not every day is going to be
sunshine and rainbows right right.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
And the art of war, I mean, it's not all
about winning every single battle, is it.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
No, It's about navigating the ups and downs. And that's
where that strong team, that shared sense of purpose becomes
even more important. It's like it's like sun Zoo knew
they were going to be setbacks, challenges.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
And he had advice for those two.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Absolutely reminds me of that principle avoiding what is strong
and striking at what is weak. Like you got to
be adaptable. Right. You can't just stick to the same
plan if it's not working.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Exactly. Being able to read the situation, see where the
weaknesses and opportunities lie, and then adjust your strategy. That's key.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
So it's about being flexible, not rigid exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Think about like a tech startup, right, they might have
an amazing product, a great idea, but if they're not
constantly evolving, adapting to new tech to what customers want,
they're going to get left behind.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
It's like they say, adapt.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Or die, Right, the world waits for no one.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Okay, so adapt or die, got it. Don't want to
be a dinosaur. But seriously, you've got to be willing
to change, to try new things, to learn from your mistakes.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Right, absolutely. And that actually leads to another important point
that Sunsey brings up, which is delegation and empowerment. He
talked about how a truly skilled leader can subdue the
enemy's without any fighting, without any fighting.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Okay, now I'm really interested. So how do you take
that ancient idea and make it work in like, say,
managing a team at work today?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Well, I don't think it's about being passive, that's for sure.
It's about empowering your team to be their best, to
take ownership of their work, you know, creating an environment
where they feel confident taking initiatives.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
So it's more about guiding than directing.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
In a way. Yes, it's about fostering that sense of
ownership and trust, creating a space where people feel safe
to take risks to innovate.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Which ultimately leads to better results.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Right Exactly. People are more invested when they have a say,
when they feel valued.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
It's like that saying you can lead a horse to water,
but you can't.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Exactly. People support what they help create, and that kind.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Of ties back into that whole unity thing we were
talking about earlier, doesn't it. Because when everyone's on the
same page, all pulling in the same direction, that's when
amazing things can happen.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Right, and Sensa understood this too. He said, when troops
are united, the brave and the cowardly will always share
the same risk.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Okay, so no one's calling anyone cowardly here, but I
get the point, of course not.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
The point is when a team is truly united, when
they have that shared purpose, they believe in each other,
they're more likely to take risks to support each other
and ultimately to be more successful.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Okay, yeah, it's like we're stronger together. But it's not
always easy to create that kind of unity, especially like
in a workplace.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
You know, it takes effort, conscious effort.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
So how do you do that? Yeah, like, how do
you actually build that sense of unity, because it's got
to be more than just you know, trust falls and
team building exercises.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Right, right, It's deeper than that. It's about fostering a
culture of open communication, mutual respect, celebrating successes together.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It's about making everyone feel heard and valued exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
And that goes back to Sunso's point about treating your
team like they're your most valuable asset because they are exactly.
A team is only as strong as its weakest link,
so you need to invest in every single person.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
It's about creating that sense of shared responsibility of everyone
being in.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
It together exactly. And that takes us to another key
insight from Sunsu, one that I think is often overlooked,
and that's the importance of timing.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Oh timing.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Well, he had this famous line, he said, he will
win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yeah, yeah, like I've heard that one before. But it's
so true, right it is.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
It's about picking your battles, knowing when to push forward
aggressively and when to you know, maybe hold back, wait
for a better opportunity.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
It's about being strategic patient.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Right, because sometimes the smartest move you can make is
actually no move at all, you know, at least not yet.
It's like they say, patience is a virtue, exactly, but
it's tough, right, especially in today's world where everything moves
so fast, we're constantly being told to hustle, to go, go, go.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Yeah, it's like always being on all the time.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Yeah, exactly. But Sunzu reminds me that sometimes slowing down,
taking a beat to assess the situation, that can be
the most strategic thing you can do.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
So it's about being able to read the room right,
the sense when the time is right to.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Make your move precisely, and that takes practice awareness because
every situation, every challenge, it has its own rhythm, you know,
and a skilled leader they learn to feel that rhythm out,
anticipate those shifts, and then act accordingly.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
So it's not just about reacting to what's happening right
now in this moment. It's about anticipating what's coming next, right,
being one step ahead.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
You got it. It's about having that long term vision,
that ability to see beyond the immediate and really plan
for the future. And you know that ties back to
one of Suns's most powerful insights, that whole idea that
every battle is won before it's even fought.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
WHOA Okay, it all connects. So it's not just about
making the right decision in the moment. It's about all
the preparation that goes into it beforehand. It's about having
done your research, built your team, created a solid strategy exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
It's about putting in the work long before the pressure
is on, so that when the time comes to act,
you're ready.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
So, as we're wrapping up our deep dive into the
wisdom of Sunsu, what's the one thing you hope our
listeners take away from this conversation, What's the one thing
they can start applying in their own lives and their
own leadership journeys today?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
You know, I think the biggest takeaway from Sunsue is
that leadership, in whatever form it takes, it's an ongoing process. Right,
It's about constantly learning, growing, adapting your approach.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
It's not about having all the.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Answers, Absolutely not. It's about being open to learning from
your mistakes from others. It's about always seeking to understand
the complexities of any situation and then using that knowledge
to make the best decisions.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
You can and to inspire those around you.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Absolutely because ultimately, a leader's success isn't just about their
own accomplishments. It's about the impact they have on others,
on their team, on their organization, on the world.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
It's about leaving things better than you found them.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Couldn't have set up better myself.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
So to everyone listening, whether you're leading a team at work,
captain of a sports team, or even just you know,
trying to lead a more fulfilling life, remember the timeless
wisdom of sun to be adaptable, be strategic, and never
ever underestimate the power of careful planning, thoughtful action, and
(10:22):
a deep understanding of yourself and the world around you.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Because that's how you win, both on and off the battlefield.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
And on that note, we'll wrap up this deep dive
into the art of war until next time. Keep exploring,
keep learning, and keep leading with wisdom and intention.