Strategos - The Art of Productivity [HD BizBlog 1.2]

The English word for strategy comes from the Greek word Strategos:

The term strategos (plural strategoi; Greek στρατηγός) (literally meaning “army leader”) is used in Greek to mean “general”. In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor.

I chose this as the name for this new weekly column that will analyze the greatest book on strategy ever written as a foundation for your productivity system. Over time we will explore the five elements of Sun Tzu’s system - Philosophy, Heaven, Earth, the Leader, and the Methods.

These timeless leadership strategies will be invaluable to us in the study and evolution of productivity systems, personal knowledge management, toward the end result of stress-free life and work.

Sun Tzu created a complete philosophy of strategy, where a handful of principal concepts are used to articulate the key steps to achieving the most advantageous position. These steps - knowing, anticipating, moving, and positioning - when followed as a process create your strategic situation.

Over the next few weeks we will explore The Art of War together, with the translated text by Sun Tzu side-by-side with the productivity principles of Getting Things Done. The book begins with the definition of terms, the analysis of our mission. So, too, shall we begin to define our GTD practice.

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Original post here: Stephen

10 August 2007 | Art of War, Books, GTD, Global Microbrand, Strategos | Comments