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For Sun Tzu, discipline was the backbone of any organization. He famously demonstrated this by training a group of concubines, showing that even the most unlikely subjects could be made into a disciplined force through clear orders and strict enforcement. He taught that if instructions are not clear, it is the fault of the commander; but if they are clear and not followed, it is the fault of the subordinates. Discipline, in his view, is the foundation of trust and the prerequisite for execution.
"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."
"Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt."
"Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate."
"When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy."
"To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy."
"If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them."
"The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him."
"Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger."
"If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will not prove submissive."
"The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim."
"To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill."
"He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious."
"Move swift as the wind and closely-formed as the wood. Attack like the fire and be still as the mountain."
"The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy, neither are his supply-wagons loaded more than twice."
"Quickness is the essence of the war."
Seeing how Sun Tzu approaches Discipline helps you apply the idea with more precision.
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