Rule Book

Strategic Book of Knowledge
Strategic Body of Knowledge
S-RULES
S-RULE

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Each Rule Book Article addresses a specific competitive technique. It explains from four to nine of Sun Tzu's Warriors' rules. It also gives an example of the application of each of its rules. Each rule also links to another Rule Book Article that explains its underlying principles in more depth.

Competitive Arenas: 

Six Myths about Sun Tzu's the Art of War

Because the term "war" appears in the work's English title, people instantly jump to a lot of wrong ideas about Sun Tzu's work. Sun Tzu wrote his work to overcome these same misconceptions in his own era.

Myth One: The Art of War teaches hostile conflict.

Reality: The opposite is true. Sun Tzu's book teaches winning without conflict. He taught that a general that fights and wins a hundred battles is not a great general. A great general finds a way to win without fighting a single battle.

Competitive Arenas: 

A Question about Opponents of Different Size and Opponents of Similar Size

Submitted by GaryGagliardi on

A reader writes:

We can all agree that conflict is wasteful. But what if the competitor starts the conflict? If their attack produces a dissipating situation, you have said that there is no good defense and that the correct response is to attack what the competitor values. Doesn't this escalate into the conflict we wish to avoid? How do we actually avoid conflict (or wars of attrition) if attacked? Is this what has happened between Google and Microsoft? Regardless of how this battle began, how can either side defend properly against further attack?

Problems of Technology through Young Eyes

Submitted by GaryGagliardi on

This article in PajamaMedia immediately caught by eye because Sun Tzu's strategy teaches that the best way to get a good perspective on change is through "young eyes" (S-RULE 2.4.2). In examining the problems of technology from the perspective of preteen kids in Silicon Valley, we can see the future's opportunities (S-RULE 3.2.3).

John Allison, BB&T Bank, and Moral Philosophy

Submitted by GaryGagliardi on

Good strategy is based on a shared mission. In Sun Tzu's strategy, a philosophy is a set of higher values. Businesses always forget that the highest missions are based on a moral philosophy.  This is the story of  John Allison, the longtime CEO and current Chairman of the Board for BB&T Bank.  National Review did a story on how his philosophy allowed his bank to stay out of the troubles most finanicial institutions got into during the sub-prime and bailout eras.  Quoting from it:

Warrior's Rules: 

Competitive Arenas: 

Classic Overreaction to Environmental Vulnerability.

Submitted by GaryGagliardi on

Last week our Today's Article on Warrior's Rules (TAOSR) program explained the principles regarding the defense and exploitation of environmental vulnerabilities. The basis principle is that we must know how to defend against the five kinds of challenges that these vulnerabilities create (S-RULE 9.4), specifically the rule about avoiding an over-reaction (S-RULE 9.4.2).

Standards for Play Book Articles

Number and Title: The number shows where the principle falls in rules outline and the title is a short description of concept. 

Description: The number of other key methods referenced by this principle and its general purpose.

"Art of War Quote:  "A quote from Sun Tzu that generally the idea principle abnd its location in the standard translation" Sun Tzu's The Art of War 5:2:14-16

Competitive Arenas: 

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