Sixteen Strategies of Zhuge Liang

Governing a country

– Be as “unerring as the North Star”

Ties between the ruler and subjects

– Let respect and loyalty become the only set of links between the ruler and his subjects.

Observing and listening

– Be a
leader with a good strategic understanding of the situation at hand.
Keep your mind on the game and your eye on the target.

Acceptance of advice

– Be receptive and kind to other people’s ideas.

Being perceptive

– Be perceptive of all details (large and small) and make a clear distinction between the attribute of right and wrong.

Managing people

– In order to win people over to your side, educate them.

Selection of people

– Seek the worthy and employ the talented.

Performance evaluation

– Promote the praiseworthy and dismiss the average performers and producers.

Military administration

– Play the game effectively and win by sound strategy development.

Rewards and punishments

– While you reward those who deliver a clean, efficient administration, you should punish those who do not.

On emotion

– Do not make decisions via emotion.

Controlling chaos

– Be careful when handling a chaotic situation.

Education and orders

– Rectify oneself first when issuing orders.

Dealing with difficulties

– Act decisively to eliminate the cause of chaos.

Looking ahead

– Be farsighted and cautious when planning.

Observation

– Commit one’s self to strive only for success.