Sun Tzu’s Art of War for Modern Leaders

• Introduction and Foundational Concepts
  “Therefore, through a comparative analysis of the five fundamental factors, the nature of the situation is assessed and investigated.” (故经之以五事，校之以计，而索其情。)
  • Sun Tzu’s life and historical context
  • The Five Fundamental Factors (Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, Commander, Method & Discipline)
  • The principle of “winning without fighting”
• Strategic Thinking and Planning – Laying Plan
  “Victorius warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” (胜兵先胜而后求战，败兵先战而后求胜。)
  • Aligning vision, mission, and objectives
  • Tools for situational analysis
• Strategic Positioning – Terrain and Manoeuvring
  “Know the heaven and know the earth, and you will achieve complete victory.” (知天知地，胜乃可全。)
  • Understanding “terrain” in modern contexts
  • Positioning for advantage and leveraging timing
• Manoeuvring and Deception
  “All warfare is based on deception.” (兵者，诡道也。) 
  • Indirect approaches and flexibility in strategy
  • The ethical dimension of deception in governance and business

Day 2 – Leadership, Application, and Personal Growth

• Leadership Principles
  “The commander is the assisting pillar of the state. If his assistance is all-encompassing, the state will surely be strong; if defective, the state will certainly grow weak.” (将者，国之辅也。辅周则国必强，辅隙则国必弱。)
  • Sun Tzu on the role of the Commander
  • Leadership traits: empathy, communication, discipline
• Organisational Resilience and Team Building
  “Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys.” (视卒如婴儿，故可与之赴深溪。) 
  • Building adaptable and motivated teams
  • Partnering and collaboration for collective success
• Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
  “To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence.” (不战而屈人之兵，善之善者也。) 
  • Applying Sun Tzu’s concepts to conflict management
  • Stakeholder engagement strategies
• Decision-Making and Risk Management
  “Order can emerge from chaos; courage can arise from fear.” (乱生于治，怯生于勇。)
  • Structured decision-making processes
  • Balancing risks and opportunities
• Personal Development
  “Know the oppositions and know yourself, and in a hundred battles you will never be in peril.” (知彼知己，百战不殆。)
  • Applying Sun Tzu’s wisdom to personal leadership journeys
  • Reflection: Personal action plan for applying course insights at work