The Problem with the Business-War Analogy
Everyone loves to say “business is war,” but most CEOs don’t actually think like generals—they think like bureaucrats. War isn’t about brute force. It’s about timing, deception, and controlling the battlefield before the first shot is fired.
Napoleon didn’t win because he had the biggest army—he won because he shaped the fight before it began. Most CEOs, however, walk straight into competitive battles without realizing they’ve already lost.
How Wars Are Actually Won
Control the Battlefield Before the Fight Begins
Sun Tzu said, “Every battle is won before it is fought.” That applies to business. If you’re reacting to trends, responding to competitors, or chasing market shifts, you’re already behind. The best companies dictate the terms before their competition even knows what’s happening.
Exploit Weakness Instead of Matching Strength
Great military strategists don’t go head-to-head with superior forces—they exploit weaknesses. The Vietnam War, the American Revolution, and modern guerrilla warfare all prove that smaller, agile forces can defeat giants by playing a different game.
Business equivalent? Tesla vs. the auto industry. Instead of competing on production volume, Tesla changed the rules—selling software, not just cars.
Win Through Deception
War isn’t always about open conflict—it’s about misdirection. The greatest victories come when the enemy has no idea what’s coming.
- Apple keeps product launches secret to keep competitors off balance.
- Amazon undercut bookstores for years before they realized what was happening.
- Tesla convinces investors it’s a tech company, while legacy automakers still think it’s just another car brand.
If your competitors always know your next move, you aren’t leading—you’re just another player in their game.
Alliances and Power Plays
Empires aren’t built alone. The most powerful forces in history mastered alliances, influence, and manipulation. Think of how businesses use strategic partnerships to gain an edge:
- Microsoft invested in OpenAI—not just to partner, but to control.
- Google acquired YouTube to neutralize a rising threat.
- Facebook didn’t build Instagram—it took it off the table before it became a problem.
The CEO’s Role as a General
Bad generals fight every battle; great ones choose fights they can win effortlessly. In business, that means focusing on asymmetric advantages, forcing competitors into no-win scenarios, and never fighting on someone else’s terms.
Look at the companies that changed the game:
- Netflix didn’t fight Blockbuster on rentals—it changed the model.
- Uber didn’t compete with taxis—it made them obsolete.
- Airbnb didn’t build hotels—it created a new market.
The Ultimate Test: Are You Dictating the Fight or Just Playing Along?
Most CEOs think they’re competing, but in reality, they’re just reacting. The best leaders don’t adapt to market conditions—they create them. The real test of strategy isn’t whether you’re in the fight; it’s whether you’re the one writing the rules.
If your strategy doesn’t make competition irrelevant, it’s not a strategy—it’s just a reaction plan. History doesn’t remember the players. It remembers the winners.