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

By Chin-Ning Chu, Catherine Huang, A. Rosenberg

Book Overview

Forget everything you "think" you know about strength, strategy and success. This brilliant adaptation of the ancient masterpiece "The Art of War" shows women how to use Sun Tzu's philosophy to win in every aspect of life. Would you like to transform your weaknesses into strengths? Succeed at work without compromising your ethics? Integrate your style and personal philosophy into every action you take? If so, this book is for you. In "The Art of War for Women, "bestselling author Chin-Ning Chu brings the eternal wisdom of philosopher-general Sun Tzu to women looking to gain a better understanding of who they are - and, more importantly, who they want to be. In the West, when we think of war, we imagine battle, casualties, brutality. But Sun Tzu, the man who wrote the Art of War some 2,500 years ago, was Chinese, and the Chinese think of war differently than we do in the West. In their view, war does not revolve around fighting. It is about determining the most efficient way of gaining victory with the least amount of conflict. That's why Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is particularly appropriate for women. Let's face it, as intelligent and accomplished as we may be, there are very few of us who are comfortable with direct confrontation or situations where our triumph means someone else's defeat. We are natural negotiators and problem solvers; most of us prefer win-win situations to those in which winner-takes-all. But there is another reason "The Art of War" is particularly appropriate for us. Although Sun Tzu's book is about the application of strategies, every one of those strategies begins with having a deep understanding of the people and the world around us. They also require us to understand ourselves - our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and fears. In other words, the aim is not to apply a series of rules coldly and dispassionately, but rather to integrate ourselves and our unique talents into the strategies we will employ. This is not a feel-good book. (But you will feel good after reading it.) It is not a motivational book. (But you will be motivated to achieve what you want, once you are done.) Ultimately, its purpose it to provide women with the strategies we all need to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of our goals and dreams. Sun Tzu's "Art of War" is the most influential book on strategy ever published, selling tens of millions of copies worldwide in several editions. Written by one of today's foremost authorities on Sun Tzu, "The Art of War for Women" is sure to become a classic in its own right.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385518404
• ISBN13: 9780385518406
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Crown Business
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.7" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Topics apply to more than just business.

I'm only about a 1/4 of the way through this book, but am enjoying it. Totally enthused about further reading on Sun Tzu. I'll update this if I change my mind further down the road. Oh, and like I said, many of the ideas can be applied to all areas of life and translate well into personal interactions in general- not just the business world.

Book YOU MUST READ

When I first heard of this book, it brought back memories of reading the Art of War in college. I thought how could that for women it is all about War and strategies. Was I surprised, it is very easy to read and offers some great advice for today's leaders. This is one of those books, you must read. The Art of War for Women: Sun Tzu's Ancient Strategies and Wisdom for Winning at Work

5 star book!

As a women in the midst of working towards changing careers and moving up in the work place, I found this book very useful. This book has made me think about how I present myself at work, what I really want to do with my life, and what I need to do to get there. This book is not at all about feel-good, mushy things, it has us look at our strengths and weaknesses and strategize to succeed. I would recommend this to any women that is career-orientated. In fact, I will be getting this for several friends for Christmas.

Helpful Advice for Issues that are Ages Old

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 d