The Art of War for Women
A holistic approach to winning
By Chin-Ning Chu

"Before, I wanted to marry a millionaire. Now I want to become one."

The sentiment above strikes the core in the hearts of working women worldwide.

Military leaders, politicians and businessmen are all trying to gain an advantage over their competition and many turn to Sun Tzu’s ancient work, The Art of War. In the West, when we think of war, we imagine opposing generals turning loose troops to conquer one another. At the end of the battle, the winning side is the one with the greatest number of soldiers still standing. Yet, Sun Tzu’s Art of War is not about battles and brutalities; rather it is about how you can win without fighting. It is a set of strategic thinking skills designed to help you achieve your objective in the most
efficient way possible.

The art of war is about the art not the war. It is about the application of strategies, and 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 requires us to understand ourselves—our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and fears. In other words, it 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 you want. You can not separate what you do from who you are.

Master Sun makes no division between the tangible and abstract or the emotional and the rational. It is a holistic approach to winning. It is about how to assess your liabilities and devise strategies to turn them into strengths.

Here’s how to create a holistic winning strategy for your career advancement:

• You need to develop the crucial ability to see the big picture.

• Master strategic thinking in its entirety by understanding how to integrate the five essential elements of winning: Tao (righteous), Tien (timing), Di (resources, liabilities and assets), Jiang (leadership), Fa (managing and execution).

• Embrace Tao (Righteousness).

Tao is defined as the force behind all creation. The ancient Tao philosopher Lao Tzu said, “I do not know what to call Her, I call Her Tao.’”

• How do I use Tao to help me succeed at work? When one works against Tao, an ill fate awaits. As the great Chinese philosopher Mung Tzu said, “Tao always sides with the righteous.” I can provide many stories to prove that the more Tao we possess, the more success we enjoy.

• How do I make winning decisions? Ask yourself: How righteous is my objective? Is this driven by my ego? Am I driven by pure greed? Am I desperate? Who will be served and who will be hurt? What is the Tao of my job? What is the Tao of my life?

As seen in the
Spring 2007 issue of PBWC Connections

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Chin-Ning's Two Cents

The art of war is about
the art not the war.

You can not separate what you do from who you are.

Turn your liabilities into your strengths.

See the big picture.

Master strategic thinking.