As the chairman of Salesforce (Marc Benioff), I am always thinking about the future. | Sonu Goswami
As the chairman of Salesforce (Marc Benioff), I am always thinking about the future. Despite leading a modern software company like salesforce.com, I find it ironic that the philosophies guiding my approach were penned on bamboo slips 2500 years ago (500 B.C). Larry Ellison, Oracle Corporation's CEO and my mentor, introduced me to *The Art of War,* Sun Tzu's ancient Chinese military treatise, during my time as an executive at Oracle. The book's 📙 core message of smaller forces prevailing over larger ones deeply resonated with Larry, who zealously applied its principles to steer Oracle from a modest startup to a global 🌍 software leader, demonstrating its enduring relevance in today's business landscape. Originally intended as a guide for ancient Chinese generals, Sun Tzu's treatise astounded me with its timeless wisdom, making it indispensable for leaders in any endeavor. Good morning, everyone 😊 🙏 ! What relevance does an ancient📙book on warfare and combat hold for business and personal interactions? As Thomas Huynh aptly conveys in 'The Art of War - Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained,' Sun Tzu, though a general, wasn't merely a warmonger. 'The Art of War' isn't primarily about warfare; it's more about the art of achieving victory. Ancient Wisdom, Modern Success: Strategies for Winning in Business and 13 Art of War chapters and the 50 strategic rules for managers. (Covered some in slide) ❇.Know your enemy: In business, your enemies are your competitors. Researching their strengths and weaknesses, like understanding a rival's pricing and customer base, allows you to develop strategies to outmaneuver them. ❇.Be prepared: Sun Tzu famously said, *If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.* In business, this translates to having a clear plan and being prepared for all possible scenarios, like creating a comprehensive business plan before entering a new market. ❇.Be flexible and adaptable: Sun Tzu also said, *No plan survives contact with the enemy.* In business, this means being able to adapt your strategies quickly and easily, like adjusting your marketing tactics when a competitor launches a similar product. ❇.Use deception to your advantage: Sun Tzu believed that deception was a powerful weapon. In business, this can involve spreading misinformation or creating hype to outwit competitors, such as strategically leaking product details to create buzz. ❇.Strike at your enemy's weaknesses: Instead of trying to match your competitor's strengths, focus on attacking their weaknesses, like providing excellent customer service if your competitor is known for poor service, giving you a competitive edge in attracting new customers. ✅ Lesson: In both the affairs of war and life, success lies in the pursuit of knowledge by extrapolating from what you do know—> what I call 'anticipating what lies beyond the horizon. | 126 comments on LinkedIn
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As the chairman of Salesforce (Marc Benioff), I am always thinking about the future. Despite leading a modern software company like salesforce.com , I find it ironic that the philosophies guiding my approach were penned on bamboo slips 2500 years ago (500 B.C).
Larry Ellison, Oracle Corporation's CEO and my mentor, introduced me to *The Art of War,* Sun Tzu's ancient Chinese military treatise, during my time as an executive at Oracle. The book's 📙 core message of smaller forces prevailing over larger ones deeply resonated with Larry, who zealously applied its principles to steer Oracle from a modest startup to a global software leader, demonstrating its enduring relevance in today's business landscape. Originally intended as a guide for ancient Chinese generals, Sun Tzu's treatise astounded me with its timeless wisdom, making it indispensable for leaders in any endeavor.
Good morning, everyone 😊 🙏 ! What relevance does an ancient book on warfare and combat hold for business and personal interactions? As Thomas Huynh aptly conveys in 'The Art of War - Spirituality for Conflict: Annotated & Explained,' Sun Tzu, though a general, wasn't merely a warmonger. 'The Art of War' isn't primarily about warfare; it's more about the art of achieving victory.
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Success: Strategies for Winning in Business and 13 Art of War chapters and the 50 strategic rules for managers. (Covered some in slide)
→ Know your enemy: In business, your enemies are your competitors. Researching their strengths and weaknesses, like understanding a rival's pricing and customer base, allows you to develop strategies to outmaneuver them.
→ Be prepared: Sun Tzu famously said, *If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.* In business, this translates to having a clear plan and being prepared for all possible scenarios, like creating a comprehensive business plan before entering a new market.
→ Be flexible and adaptable: Sun Tzu also said, *No plan survives contact with the enemy.* In business, this means being able to adapt your strategies quickly and easily, like adjusting your marketing tactics when a competitor launches a similar product.
→ Use deception to your advantage: Sun Tzu believed that deception was a powerful weapon. In business, this can involve spreading misinformation or creating hype to outwit competitors, such as strategically leaking product details to create buzz.
→ Strike at your enemy's weaknesses: Instead of trying to match your competitor's strengths, focus on attacking their weaknesses, like providing excellent customer service if your competitor is known for poor service, giving you a competitive edge in attracting new customers.
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→ Lesson: In both the affairs of war and life, success lies in the pursuit of knowledge by extrapolating from what you do know—> what I call 'anticipating what lies beyond the horizon.
