The Art of War for Women: Sun Tzu's Ancient Strategies and Wisdom for Winning at Work (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: universal timing, personal timing, Sun Tzu, Master Sun, Art of War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The workplace is a battlefield, according to author, speaker and businesswoman Chu. In her latest, she distills The Art of War, Taoist philosopher-general Sun Tzu's international bestseller on the fundamental elements of warfare and business strategy, into a primer and call-to-arms for working women. In vivid battlefield terminology, Chu covers everything from promotions and work attire to dealing with sexual harassment and male chauvinist co-workers. Lessons tend toward a "universal nuggets of wisdom" format; one of the keys Chu advances is "Know Thyself," because "how well you know the world around you is directly proportional to how well you know yourself." Other chapters cover the disposition of winning, conflict strategy, the utility of imagination, techniques for management and "fireproofing yourself." At a time when the ideal of a full, fulfilling work and home life seems more difficult than ever to achieve, Chu's primer on becoming "an effective strategist and warrior" will give doubters cause for reconsideration.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In one slim book, consultant and author (Thick Face, Black Heart 1992,^B and others) Chu clarifies any mystique surrounding the enigmatic Sun Tzu's treatise on the art of war--plus translates his philosophies into practical strategies for women at work. The heart of her tale? To thine own self be true--and, further, vow to transform weaknesses into strengths. After all, elements of success (winning wars, that is) are just as critical today as 2,500 years ago: the combination of ethics, timing, resources, leadership, and managing are integral to the personalities of the best executives, men and women, today. For sure, her Sun Tzu interpretations can be added to the regular B-book litany of style and substance, personal resumes, and manager-ready qualities. On the other hand, prepare to spend time with more unusual topics, all replete with excellent advice: dealing with spies and con artists, assessing possibilities and perils of specific business terrains (that is, friendly versus complex), and insulating yourself from firestorms and other company tragedies. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Broadway Business (April 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385518404
• ISBN-13: 978-0385518406
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,737 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Advice for Issues that are Ages Old, April 28, 2007

By	Lisa Shea "LisaShea.com" - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

Back about 2,500 years ago, a Chinese man named Mr. Sun went through many hardships and lived in a world full of civil war. Seeking to gain employment with the current leader, he wrote a "military resume". This work outlined his tactics in an obscure manner so that the leader would be intrigued enough to talk to him - and would need to keep Sun around to interpret and put into action the words. That opus was of course The Art of War, and "Mister" in ancient Chinese was written as Tzu.

2,500 years later, it seems that this deliberately complex and vague work has become the guidebook for men and women in all aspects of life. Its advice on how to approach a problem, how to deal with adversity and how to handle the whims of fate are as valid today as they were back then. People are still jealous, deceitful, and harsh. Businesses still undercut each other. Co-workers still back-stab to get ahead. The problems that Sun Tzu wrote about are problems we face today. The answers, in essence, are the same.

Chin-Ning Chu, an accomplished female Chinese business strategist, has taken on this work in a fresh light. Yes, the tactics are great for men facing battles in a male world - but in modern times, women have stepped up to gain their stage. A revolution not seen for thousands of years is taking place, where women are educated, can vote, have full and equal rights alongside men. As they say in the movies, with great power comes great responsibility. For perhaps the first time in history, it is no longer enough to blame the glass ceiling, the upbringing, the pressures of the world for our success or failure. We have - more than perhaps any generation which came before us - the ability to take the reins in our hands and give it our very best shot.

That's the straight-from-the-hip advice provided by the book. With numerous examples, we hear how women claimed they were helpless and unfairly turned down for promotions and advancement, when investigation found that these women actually sabotaged their own chances. Life isn't always fair, but in order to succeed in whatever arena you choose - family life, charity work, the boardroom - you have to do your very best to shine. Success won't be handed to you just because you think you deserve it. You need to be your own most vocal advocate - and to do that promotion in a way most in line with the atmosphere you are in.

The book is realistic. If you've got a nasty co-worker that is always undermining you, various techniques will be offered to help you overcome the situation. However, in the end, it may be best to find another job. You might claim that the job is perfect for you - but a job is a complex combination of many factors, which includes the people you work with. Another job will be *more* perfect because its combination is more in line with your path for yourself.

You also get a message echoed in many other current releases, which is to make sure the path you're on is one you really *want* to be on, deep down. People strive to be top in business because it's expected of them, not necessarily because it will make them personally happy. If you'd rather be home with the kids, running a small business from your home office, then find a way to make that work. It is critical that your daily life reflects your dreams and goals if you want to be truly happy, for your family and friends around you to share in that joy, and to find a real measure of success.

I found a few of the sections to be a bit extreme. One area talks about sexual harassment and says that women get offended by a pat on the shoulder. Perhaps some women do - but I don't! I find encouraging physical contact like that to be an important part of our society. It's very sad if we've gotten to the point that patting someone on the shoulder as a congratulation is grounds for legal action.

In general, though, I found a lot of helpful advice in here. At its very core, the entire book is a reminder that nothing is new under the sun. Issues that we find pressing in our current modern world were just as important 2,500 years ago. People are simply the way they are. By reading through the wisdom of the ages, we can help make our own world one which are are proud to live in, and our path one we are happy to follow.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A woman's translation for women of the original Art of War that has been in print for centuries., April 30, 2007

By	Jeff Lippincott "www.Jlippin.com" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I enjoyed reading this book. It didn't set my world on fire, but it was fairly well written and easy to follow. I don't like being told too much what I'm going to be told later. The author did a little more of this than I usually put up with. I would have liked the book better if it had just said what it wanted to say.

It contained 13 chapters as follows:

1. Planning: The Elements of Strategy
2. Doing Battle: Speedy Victory
3. Strategy: Know Thyself & Others
4. Disposition: Win First, Then Fight
5. Momentum: Use Timing to Generate Momentum
6. Real & Unreal: Illusion is the Other Side of Reality
7. Conflict: Don't Show Your Hand
8. Imagination: See Things No One Has Seen
9. Managing the Troops: The Principles of Management
10. Terrain: Move According to Your Environment
11. Nine Battlegrounds: Be More Competitive by Doing Less
12. Attack by Fire: Fireproofing Yourself
13. Espionage

If you have goals and dreams, then you may find this book helpful when trying to put together a strategy for trying to reach them. It will remind you that you have strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in your life. And a little strategic planning can help you solve your problems in an efficient manner.

My favorite chapter was #1. The six elements discussed there were:

>> Righteousness: How to make winning decisions.
>> Timing: From universal to personal timing.
>> Resources: Turn your liabilities into assets.
>>Leadership: A state of mind.
>>Managing: It's all about execution.
>> Deception: Appear weak when you are strong.

The book is just as applicable to men as it is to women. But the author's target audience is women. Everything in the book is written as though the author is speaking to a woman. 4 stars!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sun Tzu as You've Never Seen Him, April 21, 2007

By	Michael P. Maslanka (dallas, texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are so many of these books. Sun Tzu for this, Sun Tzu for that, Sun Zu for a landscaper, that I thought several times before buying yet another. But the book is slim, so I bought. Glad I did. Chu gets to the point: a woman needs to pick whether she wants to be Cinderella or a CEO, but she can't be both(Sun's advice to know yourself); don't blame discrimination for not moving ahead even if real( pick your battles and don't pull the litigation trigger mindlessly); a jealous co-worker trying to undermine you, then "slap her twice the first time she steps out of line"(as Sun wrote, "keep your plan as dark as the night/when you move/be as unpredictable as the thunderbolt."). Always keep in mind that your goals and decisions must be righteous---do the right thing for the right reason. This is not cuddly advice(been dating a guy for several years and he won't marry you? Read her section on the Tao of Closing the Deal for both personal and business advice. ) She makes clear that Sun must be read as a whole, that each section of the Art of War compliments the other. A welcome addition to the literature.