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Know Yourself; Know Your Opponent |
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If we know that our troops are capable of striking the enemy, but do not know that he is invulnerable to attack, our chance of victory is but half. |
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If we know that the enemy is vulnerable to attack but do not know that our troops are incapable of striking him, our chance of victory is again but half. |
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If we know that the enemy can be attacked and that our troops are capable of attacking him, but do not realize that the conformation of the ground makes fighting impracticable, our chance of victory is once again but half. |
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Therefore, when those experienced in war move, they are never bewildered; when they act, they are never at a loss. Thus the saying: Know the enemy and know yourself, and your victory will never be endangered; know the weather and know the ground, and your victory will then be complete. |
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Now, the key to military operations lies in cautiously studying the enemy's designs. Concentrate your forces in the main direction against the enemy and from a distance of a thousand li you can kill his general. This is called the ability to achieve one's aim in an artful and ingenious manner. |
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Visible and Invisible Numbers |
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Even when accurate, statistics can never substitute for looking someone in the eye when you get the answer to your question. |
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Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who championed statistical quality control as a key ingredient of a quality methodology, commented that some managers look only at the visible numbers. He said, "...but the visible numbers tell them so little. They know nothing of the invisible numbers. Who can put a price on a satisfied customer and who can figure out the cost of a dissatisfied customer." |
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How easy it can be to stroke ourselves with our own convictions and ignore the signals. The process can be a spiral that ends in disaster. |
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