Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun TzuRead
Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Planning and resources are essential for effective leadership and strategy.
This quote emphasizes the importance of foresight and resource management in leadership and military strategy. An enlightened ruler or a good general does not act impulsively; instead, they carefully plan ahead and cultivate the necessary resources to ensure success. This reflects the larger principle that effective leadership requires both strategic thinking and the ability to leverage available assets wisely.
Themes
PlanningResourcesLeadershipStrategySuccess
In practice
Example use cases
In a business meeting to emphasize the importance of strategic planning.
More from Sun Tzu
All quotes βGreat results, can be achieved with small forces.
Sun TzuRead
To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.
Sun TzuRead
The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand.
Sun TzuRead
You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
Sun TzuRead
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Sun TzuRead
Similar quotes
The government, whether state or central, is elected. That means we have a responsibility to elect the right kind of leaders.
Abdul KalamRead
Leaders come in many forms, with many styles and diverse qualities. There are quiet leaders and leaders one can hear in the next county. Some find strength in eloquence, some in judgment, some in courage.
John W. GardnerRead
I have been aware all the time that my peoples, spread far and wide throughout every continent and ocean in the world, were united to support me in the task to which I have now been dedicated with such solemnity.
Queen Elizabeth IiRead
We need business leaders who have a respect for technical issues even if they don't have technical backgrounds. In a lot of U.S. industries, including cars and even computers, many managers don't think of technology as a core competency, and this attitude leads them to farm out technical issues.
Edwin CatmullRead
I am often accused of interfering in the private lives of citizens. Yes, if I did not, had I not done that, we wouldn't be here today. And I say without the slightest remorse, that we wouldn't be here, we would not have made economic progress, if we had not intervened on very personal matters - who your neighbour is, how you live, the noise you make, how you spit, or what language you use. We decide what is right. Never mind what the people think.
Lee Kuan YewRead
If men of wisdom and knowledge, of moderation and temperance, of patience, fortitude and perseverance, of sobriety and true republican simplicity of manners, of zeal for the honour of the Supreme Being and the welfare of the commonwealth; if men possessed of these other excellent qualities are chosen to fill the seats of government, we may expect that our affairs will rest on a solid and permanent foundation.
Samuel AdamsRead