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Gong Yuzhen: Be an Adroit Competitor

Oct 13-2020   



Business is a battlefield, so goes a popular saying. Competing in the marketplace and fighting a war do have a number of commonalities: both teem with rivalry and uncertainty, and both demand a strong conviction and willpower to win; therefore, both require clear strategy, powerful organization, and superb leadership and execution. As the leading Chinese expert in warcraft research for business settings, Prof. Gong Yuzhen, Deputy Dean of BiMBA, says that war and military afford a unique perspective for business leaders to grasp the fundamentals of competitions.

 

His book – On Adroit Fighter: Sun Zi’s Art of War and 12 Lectures on Winning Principles – was recently published by CITIC Press. He teaches management at the NSD and specializes in national development strategy for large nations, leadership and competitive strategy in uncertain environment, strategic culture and strategic behavior, as well as leadership in Chinese culture.

 

Excerpts of the book have been published in various media. The history of war shows that the deadliest mistakes, of organizations and individuals alike, are none other than strategic ones. Winning the short term but losing the long term; winning part of the game but losing the whole – victories on the tactical level end up costing outright failure on the strategic level. When Hitler boasted of the Nazis’ victory in Kiev, grounds were laid for their defeat in Moscow and ultimately the war on the Russian front. For companies, it happens so often that an expedient tactical portfolio is put in the place of real strategy, only to lead to a strategic catastrophe.

 

While new recruits tend to focus on winning battles, the veterans are keen on harnessing organizing capabilities. The Roman legions, consisting of individuals with limited power, became a ruthless killing machine due to organizing prowess. In the initial stage of a company, managers are likely to focus on winning such battles as products and marketing and put paltry thought into organization issues. Then as the company develops, they would suddenly find out that the team cannot keep up and find tough battles any more.

 

Another inspiration from warcraft is that managers must demonstrate outstanding leadership in two critical ways: the willpower to stay calm in any situations, and the willingness to work through hardship with subordinates. One more learning to take from battlefields is that organizations should push for value-guided execution capability. Employees put their heart and would into work only if companies provide a set of clear value propositions. Remunerations aren’t panacea.

Gong Yuzhen: Be an Adroit Competitor

Oct 13-2020   



Business is a battlefield, so goes a popular saying. Competing in the marketplace and fighting a war do have a number of commonalities: both teem with rivalry and uncertainty, and both demand a strong conviction and willpower to win; therefore, both require clear strategy, powerful organization, and superb leadership and execution. As the leading Chinese expert in warcraft research for business settings, Prof. Gong Yuzhen, Deputy Dean of BiMBA, says that war and military afford a unique perspective for business leaders to grasp the fundamentals of competitions.

 

His book – On Adroit Fighter: Sun Zi’s Art of War and 12 Lectures on Winning Principles – was recently published by CITIC Press. He teaches management at the NSD and specializes in national development strategy for large nations, leadership and competitive strategy in uncertain environment, strategic culture and strategic behavior, as well as leadership in Chinese culture.

 

Excerpts of the book have been published in various media. The history of war shows that the deadliest mistakes, of organizations and individuals alike, are none other than strategic ones. Winning the short term but losing the long term; winning part of the game but losing the whole – victories on the tactical level end up costing outright failure on the strategic level. When Hitler boasted of the Nazis’ victory in Kiev, grounds were laid for their defeat in Moscow and ultimately the war on the Russian front. For companies, it happens so often that an expedient tactical portfolio is put in the place of real strategy, only to lead to a strategic catastrophe.

 

While new recruits tend to focus on winning battles, the veterans are keen on harnessing organizing capabilities. The Roman legions, consisting of individuals with limited power, became a ruthless killing machine due to organizing prowess. In the initial stage of a company, managers are likely to focus on winning such battles as products and marketing and put paltry thought into organization issues. Then as the company develops, they would suddenly find out that the team cannot keep up and find tough battles any more.

 

Another inspiration from warcraft is that managers must demonstrate outstanding leadership in two critical ways: the willpower to stay calm in any situations, and the willingness to work through hardship with subordinates. One more learning to take from battlefields is that organizations should push for value-guided execution capability. Employees put their heart and would into work only if companies provide a set of clear value propositions. Remunerations aren’t panacea.