FEMI TAIWO ON MONDAY: Niccolo Machiavelli’s Art of War
You may be forgiven for having not read this book. It is an easy one to miss. The most popular Art of War is by Sun Tzu and this one doesn’t get as much attention. Moreover, Niccolo Machiavelli (NM) is more known for The Prince than for this or any of his other works. NM however, considers Art of War his magnus opus for he believes, rightly, that there is no better subject for a Statesman or ruler to engage in. The Art of War by NM holds lessons for ordinary citizens as well for the principles espoused are readily transferable.
Art of War is a 140-page discourse on how to wage war. It employs the Socratic dialogue technique. Fabrizio, a war veteran shares his views with younger men (Cosimo, Luigi, Zanobi, and Battista) on how he would order the army were he given the command. The men are disillusioned with how weak and defeated the Italian armed forces are and quizzed the elderly Fabrizio on what he would do differently if he were the Commander-in-Chief. His response formed the bulk of the book punctuated only by clarifying questions from the young zealots. NM also touched on the need to move with speed, the usefulness of industry and how to motivate oneself and one’s team.
Much of what he wrote has been superseded by military technology so the modern reader will need more than an average motivation to plow through to the end. A careful study though will uncover the underlying principles behind the tactics. I will share three of those here.
Practice, practice, practice
There are a thousand factors that go into the success of a campaign and there is no possible way for one to foresee how the mutual dance between these will play out. War is the province of chance, just like life. The skill with which one deals with the fog of uncertainty increases with practice. The more frequent this practice is, the greater the ability to handle the whims and caprices of fortune. Mastery comes through incessant practice and masters are always highly rewarded.
Adapt
NM emphasizes the chameleon-like nature of war. The victors adjust their plans to the realities on ground. Winners understand that plans are neither sacred nor sacrosanct. They are willing to change them on a moment’s notice if necessary. Don’t fall so much in love with your idea that you are reluctant to alter it. I have seen this too many times. Think of your plans or ideas as a means to an end. And don’t let ego or laziness stop you from tweaking them if situation demands.
Also, if you are faced with an adversary, you don’t want to have fixed ways. That is a sure way to get quickly wiped out. Predictability leads to extinction. Be like the water that snakes and weaves its way downslope. Be fluid in your tactics but firm in your principles.
Advance Forward
There will always be unknowns in any enterprise. No human is omniscient. Calculate your risk. Leave as little to chance as possible. But when all is said and done, you will still need to take that step of faith. People dither because they don’t have all the answers. You never will have all the answers. Successful people have learnt to advance forward in the face of uncertainty. They realize that doing nothing or waiting too long is a risk in itself as well. Don’t analyze the data to death. Move on what you know and it gets clearer as you advance.
How do these principles challenge your thinking? How can you incorporate different strategies into a battle you may be facing in your life? I recommend this work even though I acknowledge that it is not the easiest read.
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