Orrin Woodward: Military Essentials for the Board Room!

One thing that I have found to be a constant in the offices of business leaders, politicians, and military generals is the study of Sun Tzu and his classic The Art of War and his western equivalent Karl von Clausewitz and his historic tome On War. It has been appropriately said that Karl Von Clausewitz’s work “remains the most prominent single contribution to shape of the modern military strategy in Europe and the United States.” What is amazing is that without any formal military training Orrin Woodward not only understands these principles but is one of the best students of these tactics and strategies that I have seen.

Military tacticians and strategists have for years studied these tomes and only recently have key aspects such as “strategic planning” and “corporate warfare” been mentioned and studied in the top business schools around the globe. As a student of military science I was taught the nine basic cornerstones of military tactics and strategy. Whether a Navy Captain, Army Sergeant, Air Force General, or Marine “devil dog”, you understand these nine principals and how you must use them with your unit or battle system to achieve success during an engagement.

It has become very prevalent however to see these principles applied to the business world by top executives to achieve success. The Japanese auto makers and their executives are world renowned for the study of Sun Tzu and applying his principles within their business paradigm. Their success has been nothing short of astounding!

What are these nine principles of military science that are studied by military generals and executives alike? They are…maneuver, objective, offense, surprise, economy of force, mass, unity of command, simplicity, and security. Leadership is critical in the execution of these nine principles. Without it, Marshal Foch stated that, “No battle and no victory is possible.” Leadership is the quintessential element needed to be successful.

This is where Orrin Woodward excels far beyond anyone I have ever met. His ability to lead and develop leaders far surpasses any one peer within the business world and from my viewpoint can’t be matched by even the most senior military generals and advisors I served with while in the Air Force. Orrin has a keen understanding that the constant pursuit of knowledge and growth must be met with constant implementation of that knowledge into his business and then that knowledge must be passed on to the rest of his leadership team. He is a student of his business, industry standards, and benchmarks. He understands how these nine principles must be used and implemented to achieve success.

Below are a few of my favorite quotes from military strategists. These quotes convey wisdom for success both on the battlefield and in the world of business world when used appropriately.

“In war, numbers alone confer no advantage.”

Sun Tzu

“He whose ranks are united in purpose will be victorious.”

Sun Tzu

“Never interrupt an enemy while he is making a mistake.”

Napoleon Bonaparte

“Speed is the essence of war!”

Sun Tzu

“Surprise lies at the foundation of all military undertakings.”

Karl von Clausewitz

“It is not gold but good soldiers that insure success in war.”

Niccolo Machiavelli