PROJECT MANAGEMENT | SUN TZU | STRATEGY | METAPHOR | ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
Conquering Projects #2
Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” for Project Managers
2. Use these five factors to analyze a situation, evaluate and compare the conditions, in order to determine the outcome: the way, the weather, the terrain, the general, and discipline.
道 the Way (“Dao”, or “Tao”)
Taoism perceives the Tao as a natural order underlying the substance and activity of the Universe.
The term “Tao” translates to “the way” and in project management, it emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the project’s objectives are aligned with the strategic direction and cultural values of the organization.
天 the Weather (also “Heaven”)
In project management, this can be metaphorically seen as the external conditions that influence the project like market conditions, industry trends, and other environmental factors that can impact project execution.
地 the Terrain (also “Earth”)
Originally referring to the shape and characteristics of the battlefield, in a project context, this relates to the operational environment within the…
