Sun Tzu on Managing Troops - Part 2 of 6
“The consummate leader cultivates the Moral Law and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Discipline and Accountability
When Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War, the reigning king asked him to prove the merit of his work by applying it to a group of untrained women. To do so, Sun Tzu organized 180 women into formation and named the king’s two favorite concubines as officers. Here’s what happened:
Sun Tzu went on: “When I say ‘Eyes front,’ you must look straight ahead. When I say ‘Left turn,’ you must face towards your left hand. When I say ‘Right turn,’ you must face towards your right hand.
Again the girls assented. The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order ‘Right turn.’ But the girls only burst out laughing. Sun Tzu said: ‘If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.‘
So he started drilling them again, and this time gave the order ‘Left turn,’ whereupon the girls once more burst into fits of laughter. Sun Tzu: ‘If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders are clear, and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of the officers.‘
So saying, he ordered the leaders of the two companies to be beheaded… and straightaway installed the pair next in order as leaders in their place. When this had been done, the drum was sounded for the drill once more; and the girls went through all the evolutions, turning to the right or to the left, marching ahead or wheeling back, kneeling or standing, with perfect accuracy and precision, not venturing to utter a sound. Then Sun Tzu sent a messenger to the King saying: ‘Your soldiers, Sire, are now properly drilled and disciplined, and ready for your majesty’s inspection. They can be put to any use that their sovereign may desire; bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey.”
Before I continue, I want to point out that I’m not advocating the beheading of concubines or employees. Such practices within your business would likely have a devastating impact on morale.
The principle, though, is a good one. If you clearly outline your expectations and the penalty for failing to meet them, they must then be enforced. If they’re not enforced, they’re meaningless and your entire staff will realize this. The best way to handle this, in my opinion, is to get your employees to help set the penalties for breaking the rules. Decide collectively what should happen to someone who is habitually late for work. Then, when the situation arises, be sure you follow through. Sun Tzu explains it like this: “If a general shows confidence in his men but always insists on his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual.”
Reward for Success
“For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards.” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War
I realize the story above comes across a little harsh and Machiavellian, but there is a flip side to properly managing your troops. Discipline must come first, but you should also reward your employees for their hard work. In war, the victorious general should share the spoils of war with his men because it was by their effort and their sacrifice that victory was achieved. Likewise if your business has an extremely successful year, your employees should reap some of that reward. They were the ones who made it happen. They were the ones following your (sometimes totally unreasonable) orders. Shouldn’t they get a little something for all their hard work?
If employees aren’t rewarded for their performance, the only incentive is to avoid being punished for doing poorly. This is a great way to breed an apathetic and mediocre workforce. So give them praise and encouragement. Share with them the spoils of war, and they’ll be ready to fight.
What’s Next?
Sun Tzu on Tactics - Part 3 of 6*
*Coming Soon, check back in a few days…
What an inspiration! Go Kyle Go! Buckets and buckets of blessings on your...
[…] Sun Tzu on Managing Troops - Part 2 of 6 […]
March 28th, 2008 at 9:37 pm