Stanley F. Bronstein – Personal Development BlogPersonal Development Blog of the Founder of the Achievement IQ Movement and Creator of the Laws of Positioning

APPRAISALS

Appraisal – The act of estimating or judging the nature or value of something or someone.

Yesterday’s Post About Appraisals

While each one of these posts is designed to be read separately and independently of each other, it would be useful if you read the previous introductory post about appraisals, IF you have not already done so.

Brief Recap

Previously, we talked about how there were 5 aspects that we should examine in order to thoroughly analyze a situation. They were:

Tao, heaven, earth, general(s) and method(s).

• Tao is what causes the people to have the same purpose as their superior. Thus they can die with him, live with him and not deceive him.

• Heaven is yin and yang, cold and hot, the order of the seasons. Going with it; going against it – this is military victory.

• Earth is high and low, broad and narrow, far and near, steep and level, death and life.

• The general is knowledge, trustworthiness, courage and strictness.

• Method is ordering divisions, the Tao of ranking and principal supply.

Moving Forward – Sun Tzu’s 7 Questions

Ask yourself:

• Which ruler has Tao? (which leader has followers who would follow them no matter what);

• Which general has ability? (what leader knows how to get things done);

• Which attains heaven and earth? (which leader has a purpose that will best resolve all the issues of yin, yang; cold, hot; going with the flow, going against the flow; high, low; broad, narrow; far, near; steep, level; death and life);

• Which general/leader best implements method and order? (which leader is the best organized; are they scattered, or are they focused?)

• Whose military and multitudes are strong? (who has the strongest forces behind them);

• Whose officers and soldiers are trained? (who has the strongest support staff? Since the general cannot do everything all the time, it is essential that they have highly trained people, AT ALL LEVELS, to support their cause);

• Whose rewards and punishments are clear? (do the subordinates in the system know, FOR CERTAIN, that they will share in the successes of the leader AND that they will also share in that leader’s failures. IF WE SHARE THE GOOD, PEOPLE WILL ALSO BE WILLING TO SHARE THE BAD).

RECOMMENDED READING:

Laws of Positioning – Law #60 – Position Yourself To Be A Leader

Laws of Positioning – Law #74 – Position Yourself To Be Persuasive

Laws of Positioning – Law #77 – Position Yourself To Be Powerful

Laws of Positioning – Law #79 – Position Yourself To Be Prepared

Laws of Positioning – Law #96 – Position Yourself To Be A Victorious Warrior

Who Will Prevail In Battle?

Sun Tzu theorizes that IF we answer all 7 questions above, we WILL know who will prevail in any contest.

A HEALTHY EXERCISE – Just for practice, consider that this is a United States presidential election year. Try asking and answering those 7 questions and predict for yourself who will win the United States presidential election. I have my own thoughts, BUT since we attempt to stay out of politics, I will refrain my expressing them. THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF WHO IS RIGHT OR WHO IS WRONG, BUT IN SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING TO BECOME BETTER SKILLED AND MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

What Does Your Leader Do When Presented With An Honest, Independent Appraisal?

• A wise general heeds these outside appraisals and listens to them. Such a leader is more likely to prevail in battle. Keep such a general / leader.

• An unwise general will NOT heed these outside appraisals and will dispute them. Such a leader is more likely to lose in battle. Get ride of such a general / leader.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Laws of Positioning – Law #60 – Position Yourself To Be A Leader

The Power of Confusion / Deception

• Thus when able; manifest inability.

• When active; manifest inactivity.

• When near; manifest as far.

• When far; manifest as near.

• When a leader seeks advantage; lure them in.

• When they are in chaos, TAKE THEM.

• When they are organized; avoid them and prepare against them.

• When they are strong; avoid them.

• Attack where your opponent is unprepared.

• Emerge where they are not expecting it.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Laws of Positioning – Law #4 – Position Yourself To Be Balanced

Laws of Positioning – Law #8 – Position Yourself To Be Bold

Laws of Positioning – Law #19 – Position Yourself To Be Courageous

Laws of Positioning – Law #22 – Position Yourself To Be Decisive

Add Everything Up And You Will Determine The Winner, IN ADVANCE

Sun Tzu believed that if you evaluated and appraised everything IN ADVANCE, it would be very apparent who would prevail in battle.

It’s simple:

• Evaluate everything;

• Write up the score sheet;

• The one who has the higher score is going to win.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, we move on to the subject of Chapter 2 in The Art of War – Doing battle with your opponent.

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