Sun Tzu's 31 Best Pieces Of Leadership Advice

There was no greater war leader and strategist than Chinese military general Sun Tzu.  His philosophy on how to be a great leader and ensure you win in work, management, and life is summed up in these 33 pieces of advice.  They can all be applied by you in your job when you go back to work next week:

1. A leader leads by example, not by force.
2. You have to believe in yourself.
3. Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.
4. If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
5. The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
6. Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
7. If the mind is willing, the flesh could go on and on without many things.
8. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
9. To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.
10. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

eventually rust.Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipateIf you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

11. Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
    1 He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
    2 He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
    3 He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
    4 He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
    5 He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
12. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.
13. Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
14. There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen.There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.
15. Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
16. When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.
17. Know yourself and you will win all battles.
18. Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.
19. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
20. When strong, avoid them. If of high morale, depress them. Seem humble to fill them with conceit. If at ease, exhaust them. If united, separate them. Attack their weaknesses. Emerge to their surprise.
21. All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
22. There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
23. The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
24. Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.
25. Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.
26. All warfare is based on deception.
27. When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

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'HII NI MAITI YA NANI?'

HII NI MAITI YA NANI!!!!!

Nilipokuwa mwanafunzi wa sekondari, niliwahi kushuhudia mwili wa mwanafunzi mwenzetu ukigombewa na wazazi wake. Huyu mwanafunzi mwenzetu alifariki ghafla shuleni na ikabidi wazazi wake wafahamishwe ili waseme maiti isafirishwe kwenda wapi.

Mama alisema, maiti ya mwanaye ibaki hapo alipofia, kwani atakuja kuichukua na kuisafirisha kuipeleka kwao (mama) kwa mazishi. Baba naye alisema hivyo hivyo. Walimu wakaamini kwamba, baba na mama wanazungumza jambo lilelile. Lakini walipowasili pale shuleni, ndipo walipogundua kwamba, hawakuwa wanawasiliana na watu walio pamoja.

Baba alikuwa na dini nyingine na mama alikuwa wa dini nyingine na walishaachana kitambo. Tangu walipoachana wazazi hawa, kila mmoja akawa anamvutia mtoto aingie au afuate dini yake. Kwa jinsi tulivyokuwa tunamfahamu marehemu, hakuwa hasa mtu wa dini fulani. Wakati wa vipindi vya dini, huyu mwenzetu alikuwa anaingia mara kwenye madarasa ya waislamu, mara wakristo na alikuwa anaingia kwenye madhehebu mbalimbali.

Basi, wazazi hawa walikuwa kila mmoja akitaka kuchukua mwili wa marehemu. Kila mmoja alikuwa akitoa maelezo ni kwa nini yeye ndiye anayestahili kumzika mtoto kwa dini yake. Malumbano haya yalikuwa makubwa mpaka vyombo vya dola vikahusishwa. Nakumbuka alikuja afisa mmoja wa upelelezi kwenye malumbano hayo. Katika kujaribu kutafuta muafaka, afisa huyu alizungumza kama vile kwa kuhutubia akisema: " Inasikitisha kwamba, kijana wetu mpendwa, anaingizwa kwenye choyo na ubabe wa kuoneshana nani zaidi, katika hali hii ambapo hawezi kujitetea. Naamini, huyu marehemu kwa sasa anawachukia wazazi wake wote, kwani anajua wazi hakuna anayempenda hata mmoja, bali wanatumia kifo chake kama uwanja tu wa mapambano ya kujitosha kwao.

Naamini, hivi sasa marehemu angeombwa kuchagua rafiki na ndugu wa kweli, angechagua wanafunzi wenzake na walimu wa dini. Hii inatokana na ukweli kwamba, hawa hawakutaka kumpangia aabudu au kuifuata imani gani ya dini. Tunaambiwa aliingia kwa waislamu, na aliingia kwa wakristo pia, hakuzuiwa au kusemewa, alikuwa huru.

Kuwa na dini ni kuwa na uhuru. Kuwa na dini ni kuwapa wengine uhuru wa kuwa wao. Kuwa na dini siyo kutumia tatizo la mwingine kujifaharisha, kuonesha ubabe na urijali ulionao. Hiyo ni kibri ambayo kwa mtu aliyepoteza mwili kama huyu kijana wetu anaiona na kuijua vizuri, haipendi hali hii..."

Hotuba hiyo ilisaidia sana, kwani hatimaye ndugu wa upande wa mama na wale wa upande wa baba walikaa chini wakiwa na adabu mpya na kujadili. Hatimaye walikubaliana kijana azikwe kwa dini ya mama yake.

Miaka 30 baadaye, nakutana tena na watu wanaogombea maiti, watu wanaoamini kwamba mzoga wa binadamu una maana yoyote. Sijawahi kuona mtu akitoa shati au gauni kwenye mfuko wa nailoni na kuvaa mfuko huo badala ya kuvaa shati au gauni, nimesema sijawahi kuona, huko ni kujidanganya. Nimekuwa nikiona sana jambo hilo, ambapo ni pale watu wanapogombea mwili.

Inaonesha wazi kwamba, binadamu bado ni mjinga sana juu ya maisha yake. Mwili, mwili ni nini, na hadi wapi? Kama mwili ungekuwa na maana sana, baada ya mtu kufariki usingekimbizwa mochuari, usingepakwa asali au usingechomwa sindano ili usiharibike na kuleta usumbufu wa harufu na maradhi. Mwili siyo mimi wala wewe. Mwili haujawahi kuwa mwenye mwili na hautakuja kuwa. Mwili ni kama tochi tu, ambayo umeiazima ili iweze kukusaidia kufika kijiji cha pili, kutokana na giza na njia ya uchochoro ambayo unatakiwa kuipita ili kufika kijiji hicho cha pili. Mwili ni kifaa na siyo wewe, bali wewe unakitumia kifaa hicho Binadamu anajibainisha kwenye maisha haya ya hapa duniani kupitia mwili wake, lakini yeye siyo mwili.

Mwili ni ubainisho, ni chombo cha kutumika kwa kusudi la kidunia tu. Baada ya muda mwili hukoma kuwepo, hujimaliza wenyewe au kumalizwa, ili binadamu amudu kuingia hatua nyingine ya maisha ambayo haitumii au haihitaji mwili. Tangu ulipozaliwa umeoneshwa na kufundishwa kwamba, wewe ni mwili kwa njia zote. Akili yako imeshika kutu kwa kuamini kwamba, mwili ni wewe na wewe ni mwili. Huna uwezo tena wa kuuona ukweli, kwa sababu vipimo vyako vyote kuhusu maisha vinaishia kwenye akili, ambayo nayo pia haikuhusu, siyo yako, umepachikwa tu.

Kwa ujinga huu wa kutojua mwili ni nini na sisi ni nani, ndipo ambapo tunaingia kwenye ujinga wa kuendeshwa na miili yetu, hisia zetu na akili. Kila mmoja anaamini kwamba, mwili wake ukipotea, ukishindwa kutumika, yaani akifa, basi huo ndiyo mwisho wake. Kama hiyo ni kweli, ina maana binadamu hana maana kabisa, ni upuuzi usiofaa kuelezewa!

Yaani binadamu amekuwepo ili awepo kwa mwezi mmoja, miaka kumi, hamsini, sabini, tisini, au mia tu. Halafu baada ya hapo basi. Huu ni uongo mkubwa sana, unaoweza kukubaliwa na akili makapi ya kulishwa tu! Anayetafakari zaidi kidogo, atabaini kwamba, mwili ni mwili tu, ni kasha tu.

Ni kasha ambalo muda wake wa kutumika ukiisha mtumiaji au [wewe] analiacha kwa sababu haliwezi kukidhi kile anachokihitaji hapa duniani. Mtumiaji anachukua kingine ambacho kinakidhi wakati huo [baada ya kifo]. Kwa hiyo, binadamu hafi bali mwili ndiyo unaofikia ukomo wa muda wake wa matumizi kwa sababu mbalimbali. Anapokufa John au Hamisi, haina tofauti. Anapokufa mkulima hohehahe au tajiri kuliko wote duniani, pia haina tofauti. Wote wanapita kwenye hatua muhimu ya mabadiliko, ambapo wanaacha matumizi ya kifaa kilicho kuwa ndicho pekee kinachoweza kuwabainisha na wengine hapa duniani na kuchukua kingine ambacho hakiwezi kuwabainisha tena na wale wenye miili bado.

Anapokufa John au Hamisi, haijalishi kama amezikwa kwa jeneza la dhahabu na mizinga 100 au kwa masululu butu na kaniki. Kuzikwa ni utaratibu wa kimazoea wa kuhifadhi mwili ambao sasa ni mzoga tu, ili usisumbue watu wengine kwa harufu na maradhi. Kuzika haina maana kwamba, kunambadili aliyekuwa akitumia mwili huo [marehemu], la hasha. Kama unadhani kwamba Mungu anahesabu umezikwa na dini gani, umezikwa na shehe au padri gani, ndiyo afanye uamuzi wa kukupokea mbinguni au hapana, ujue unahitaji msaada wa haraka, kama siyo kupelekwa milembe. Ujue hujui chochote ingawa umekuwa ukujidanganya kwamba unajua.

Mungu wa kweli hahangaiki na mzoga, bali sisi kwa ufinyu wetu ndiyo tunaodhani kwamba, mizoga au[maiti] hii ina maana. Mara nyingi nimekuwa nikiwaambia jamaa zangu, ‘nikifa, mtaangalia ni mazingira gani ni rahisi kwenu kuutupa au kuuhifadhi mwili wangu. Kwa nini? Kwa sababu, kama sikuwa karibu na Mungu wakati nikiwa na mwili, huo, ukaribu utaletwa leo wakati nimeupoteza mwili huo kwa sababu tu, mwili wangu umezikwa kwa dini ya babu yangu? Ukosefu wa ufahamu wa kiwango kikubwa sana. Kama nilikuwa karibu na Mungu wakati wa uhai wangu, basi hata nikitupwa ****** baada ya kufa, ukaribu huo hautakufa. Mungu hayatazami mambo kama Abdallah Juma au John Maiko! Kwani kuzika hasa ni kitu gani?

Hatuziki watu ili waende mbinguni. Kama ni hivyo, wanaoliwa na wanyama, kuungua na kuteketea kabisa, wao Mbinguni hawatafika? Kama hawatafika, watahukumiwa vipi siku ya mwisho? Mwili hautakiwi Mbinguni, hauna kazi huko, kwani huko siyo makazi ya miili. Mwili unafaa tu duniani Kuna zile jamii ambapo mtu akifa mwili wake huchomwa moto na kuteketezwa kabisa Unadhani hizi jamii hazimjui Mungu kama wewe unavyomjua? Zinamjua, tena pengine vizuri zaidi yako. Lakini, zimeng’amua kwamba, mwili ni kasha tu, likishindwa kufanya kazi, ni sawa na taka nyingine, hutupwa dampo na kuteketezwa kwa moto. Mtu akishauacha mwili wake [kufa] hana tena uhusiano na mwili huo. Mtu huyo anakuwa ameingia kwenye awamu nyingine ya maisha ambayo haihitaji mwili na ambayo haihitaji kujua huo mwili umezikwa na nani na wapi. Ni akili isiosogea ndiyo ambayo inashindwa kufanya mikokotoo midogo kama hii.

Ukiona watu wanagombea maiti, jua kwamba, hata kama wamevaa masuti na kubandika digrii zao kwenye kila ukuta, ni watoto wadogo kiufahamu. Ukiona mtu pia anaacha wosia mrefu wa namna anavyotaka akifa azikwe, naye huyo ni mpujufu tu wa ufahamu. Kwa nini? Unagombea kuuzika mwili wa fulani ili upate kitu gani, ili huyo marehemu naye apate nini? Hata usipouzika, kumbuka kwamba, ameshakufa na ukiuzika, ameshakufa pia. Haifanyi tofauti yoyote kwa kweli. Kama nilivyosema awali, huuziki mwili ili uende Mbinguni kwa sababu mbingu haiko ardhini. Unaufukia ili usisumbue kwa harufu.

Ukienda kwenye nchi zenye vita hasa vya wenyewe kwa wenyewe, utagundua kirahisi kwamba, maiti hana maana, maiti ni msumbufu kwa kunuka na kusambaza magonjwa. Tunazika kwa sababu tuna nafasi ya kuhifadhi mwili kwa heshima na taratibu ambazo zinaonesha kujali mwili wa mwenzetu ambao ulitumika kufanya mema au maovu. Kwenye kizuizi na misukosuko au vita, hakuna anayeweza kukumbuka, siyo kuzika bali hata kufukia maiti. Kila mmoja anafikiria kuendelea kubaki na mwili wake kwanza. Aliyepoteza wake, basi hakuna anayemjali, kwani haina maana kabisa kumjali. Hata aina nyingine za mazishi zinaonesha tu ujinga na utoto wa binadamu.

Mazishi ya kifahari yenye kuhusisha majeneza ya dhahabu na vyakula na vinywaji vya bei mbaya. Ni ujinga uliopindukia kwa sababu, inawezekana kabisa marehemu au wanaotoa fedha hizo hawajawahi kumsaidia aliye hai hata kwa chupi ya mguu. Sasa kusaidia huo mzoga kwa mapambo inaongeza kitu gani? Nimesema unapoona mtu anaacha wosia ili azikwe vipi, wosia ambao wakati mwingine ni kero tupu, ujue huyo naye ni mtoto wa miaka sita, bila kujali anamiliki au amesoma hadi kiwago gani. Ni utoto kwa sababu, unapoacha mwili, siyo kazi yako kusema huo mwili ufanyiwe kitu gani. Waliobaki, wanaweza kuamua kuuchoma mishikaki [kama wanakula watu], wanaweza kuukausha na kuuweka kwa maonesho, wanaweza kuufukia kwenye kijishimo cha futi tano na ukafukuliwa na fisi usiku, na wanaweza kuuzika kwa matarumbeta na sanduku la dhahamu. Ni hiari yao. Ukishauacha mwili huna mamlaka nao tena.

Ni wale waliobaki ndiyo wanaolimbuka nao tu. Nimekuwa nikitazama hii tabia ya kugombea maiti kwa jicho lenye mashaka na ufahamu wa binadamu, hofu zake na ufisadi wa nafsi alionao. Mtu amekufa, wewe unasema nataka nimzike mimi, sawa. Kwani mbona huendi hospitalini ukaulizia maiti ambazo hazina ndugu na kuzichukua ili ukazizike? Wewe si unapenda kuzika na unaamini kumzika mtu kwa dini yako ni jambo kubwa na la maana sana? Pia hospitalini, utapewa maiti nyingi zisizo na ndugu. Ukishazipata zibadili majina na kuziingiza kwenye dini yako kwa mujibu wa utaratibu wa dini yako. Halafu zika! Hiyo huitaki kwa sababu haina maslahi, haina kuonesha ubabe ambao umefundishwa na wazazi, na jamii na pengine hata na dini yako hiyohiyo. Kugombea maiti ni kujiogopa.

Kugombea maiti ni kujitafuta kimakosa. Kugombea maiti ni kutojua dini. Kugombea maiti ni kudhani mtu anaweza kuwa na uhuru wa kuwa mtu mwingine. Kugombea maiti ni kufikiri wewe ni mwili, Kugombea maiti ni njaa ya mali au haja ya kupanda kithamani. Kwa ujumla ni ubabe wa kimtaa zaidi. Mara nyingi imeshatokea, anapookotwa maiti na watu wakaanza kuulizana, jamani maiti hii ni ya nani? Ujue maiti hiyo itazikwa na serikali. Hakuna mtu au kundi la kidini la eneo hilo ambalo litajitokeza kuichukua na kuizika maiti hiyo kwa imani yake. Hilo haliwezekani kwa sababu halina utamu.

Halina kubishana, halina kulumbana, halina ujuaji na ubabe. Anasubiriwa mtoto mwenye mzazi walioachana na walio na dini tofauti. Huyu akifa, hasira na visasi vyote vya nyuma vinaishia kwenye mwili wake. Atasubiliwa yule ambaye alishakuwa kwenye dini yetu akatoka, huyo akifa
tuna sababu ya kugombea maiti. Kama nilivyosema, hapo kuna malumbano na ujuaji na kuoneshana. Halafu bado mnajiita mnatumikia dini, zipi? Ni ujinga tu.

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Apple says new wireless technology is better than Bluetooth

Apple reveals wireless Air Pods   11 Hours Ago | 03:12

Now that Apple has pronounced the end of the headphone jack, the company is aiming to prove that it can do better than the existing wireless options.
At its much-hyped event in San Francisco on Wednesday, the iPhone maker introduced a cordless earbud that it claims is more power efficient than Bluetooth devices. AirPods, as they're called, have their own communications chip, Apple's Senior Vice President Phil Schiller said on stage.
"It makes no sense to tether ourselves with cables to our mobile devices," Schiller said. "Until someone takes on these challenges, that's what we'll do."
The iPhone 7 will be the first smartphone without a headphone jack, marking Apple's latest effort to strip hardware from devices. There are plenty of Bluetooth options on the market, including from Apple's Beats business, but the products have been criticized for their high price and spotty quality.
Apple is betting that improvements in computing power and wireless communications will usher in a new era of cordless gadgetry. Apple's AirPods include double tap access to Siri and five hours of listening on a single charge, the company said.

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Why Did Jesus Need to Be Baptized?

Theories abound on the reason that Jesus submitted to baptism. After all, if He was sinless as the New Testament claims, then His baptism must have held some ulterior motive. Perhaps John and Jesus plotted or conspired together to gain attention for Jesus's ministry; perhaps Jesus came as a representative of the sinful human race; perhaps He submitted to baptism as foreshadowing His death and resurrection; or perhaps His baptism made the act of baptism work for everyone else.

Each of these theories, however, misses a few key elements. For example, we have no evidence that John or Jesus spoke prior to the time of the baptism, even though they were cousins. John lived in the wilderness and only knew what sign to look for. But most of all, John's baptism was not primarily a baptism of repentance (the turning away from sin). Instead, the submersion in water identified the person with the coming Messianic Kingdom.

Those whom John baptized had already repented and sought to be joined to the coming Messiah and His reign. John, in fact, would only accept true obedience—even from the spiritual leaders of Israel. His mission was to prepare the way for Jesus to come, not to take away sin.

In fact, no ulterior motive is required. Jesus asked John to baptize Him simply as an act of obedience to God's purposes. God had given John the promise of a coming Messiah and the way to identify Him. Jesus fulfilled that promise. His baptism was simply the right thing at the right time: the last act of His private life.

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