Overview
Though this chapter is simply named “Positioning," the original Chinese
name for this chapter is an ideogram xing, which means “position," “form,"
or “shape." This chapter describes a dance that represents the continual
search for a strategic advantage. In this dance, we try to gain a relative
advantage in position by continually making adjustments to our position. In
response to our moves, others change their position. Then in response to
their moves, we move again. The process is dynamic and continuous.
As in all dances, the key element is timing. Timing is derived from the key
element tian (heaven, climate, or weather), which we described in chapter 1.
The climate, or tempo of the dance, is beyond our control. Changes and
shifts in the larger environment have their own pace. What we control is our
reaction to the changing situation. We control how we position ourselves
while looking for an advantage.
What do we do when we first meet a challenge? Are our first moves aggressive
or defensive? What does an opening or opportunity look like? How can we be
certain that an opportunity is real?
When we are on the offensive, how do we act? What do we do when we must
defend? What is the goal of defense? When we see an opportunity, what must
we do? How important is courage to success? How does positioning assure our
success? How can we be certain that we will find an opportunity? What
calculations do we make to find the right position?
These are the questions that this chapter addresses. The chapter takes
us in a logical circle. It starts with how we are controlled by our
situation and have to accept its limitations, but ends showing how we can
eventually control that situation and change it by our positioning.
Sun Tzu’s chapter on analysis provides the keys to identifying winning
situations. Our goal here is to understand our situations so we can predict
where we can win and where we cannot.
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To start the Lessons 69 - 85, click
here.
These lessons are a little harder that the previous ones. You
must figure out the answer from the explanation and the quote. You are still
given two chances to get it right, but we never give you the correct answer
directly.
As you learn what answers are wrong, you are also learning what
answers are right.
Review Lessons
You can ignore the questions if you want using the [Next] and
[Back] buttons just to look at the slides (except when retaking the test). You
can use the [Up] button to return to this page (except when retaking test).
To retake the Final Test, click here.
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