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Law 8 – Make Other People Come To You – Use Bait If Necessary
When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards.
Observance Of The Law
At the Congress of Vienna in 1814 the major powers of Europe gathered to carve up the remains of Napoleon’s fallen Empire. The city was full of jollity and the balls that took place were some of the most extravagant in living memory, but hovering over the proceedings was the shadow of Napoleon himself, who instead of being executed or exiled far away, had been sent to the island of Elba, just off the Italian coast.
Even though he was imprisoned on an island, everyone was nervous as Napoleon was a bold and creative man and most people expected him to make an escape attempt. The Austrians plotted to kill him, but decided it was too risky, and when the Russian Tsar Alexander I was denied a portion of Poland he went into a rage and declared “Beware, I shall loose the monster!” with everyone knowing he meant Napoleon. Of everyone at the congress, only Talleyrand, Napoleon’s former foreign minister, seem unconcerned, and it was as if he knew something that the others did not.
Meanwhile, on Elba, Napoleon had been mocked and been allowed to form a court as Elba’s “king”, complete with a cook, wardrobe mistress, and a few courtiers. All this was designed to humiliate Napoleon and it seem to have worked.
That winter there occurred some very strange events. Elba was surrounded by British warships with their cannons at the ready, covering all exit points off the island. However, in broad daylight on 26th February 1815, a ship with 900 men onboard picked up Napoleon and fled out to sea. The English gave chase but the ship got away, and this seemingly impossible escape astonished the people of Europe and terrified the statesmen who had been at the Congress of Vienna.
Even though it would have been much safer to have fled Europe, Napoleon went back to France, raised a small army, and marched on Paris with the intention of recapturing the throne. His gamble paid off, as when people saw him on his way to Paris they literally threw themselves at his feet, and even though an army under Marshal Ney was dispatched to arrest him when the soldiers saw their beloved former leader they changed sides. Napoleon was declared emperor again, volunteers swelled the ranks of his new army, delirium swept throughout France, and the king who had replaced Napoleon fled the country.
For the next 100 days Napoleon ruled France once again, but then the wave of excitement died down. France was bankrupt, its resources exhausted, and Napoleon could do little about it. In June that year, at the Battle of Waterloo, he was defeated for good. This time his enemies had learned their lesson and he was exiled to the faraway island of St Helena, off the west coast of Africa, where he had no chance or hope of escape.
Interpretation
Only some years later did the facts of Napoleon’s dramatic escape from Elba come to light. Before he decided to attempt an escape, visitors had told him that he was more popular in France than ever, and that if he were to return the country would embrace him again. One of these visitors was Austria’s General Koller, who convinced Napoleon that if he managed to escape the European powers, England included, would welcome him back into power. Napoleon was tipped off that the English would let him go, and indeed his escape happened in broad daylight in full view of the English naval fleet.
What Napoleon did not know was that behind the scenes was a man pulling all the strings, his former foreign minister Talleyrand, who instead of planning to bring back Napoleon’s glory days was plotting to crush him once and for all due to Napoleon’s ambition to bring instability all across Europe. When Napoleon as exiled to Elba, Talleyrand protested loudly that he should be sent much further away or Europe would never have peace, but he was ignored. Instead of continuing to push his opinion, Talleyrand bided his time, and managed to win over Castlereagh and Metternich, the foreign ministers of England and Austria.
Together these men baited Napoleon into escaping, and even Koller’s visit was part of the plan. Talleyrand had figured everything out in advance, and knew Napoleon would fall into the trap he had set, and had even correctly predicted that he would lead the country into another war which could only last a few months due to France’s weakened condition. One diplomat in Vienna, when finding out that it was Talleyrand behind it all, said, “He has set the house ablaze in order to save it from the plague.”
“When I have laid bait for deer, I don’t shoot at the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the whole herd has gathered round.” (Otto von Bismarck, 1815-1898)
Keys To Power
This scenario has played itself out many times in history – an aggressive leader initiates a series of bold moves that begin by bringing him much power. However, after a period of time, his power reaches a peak and everything turns against him. His numerous enemies join together and by trying to maintain his power he exhausts himself going in all directions and eventually collapses. The reason for this is that the aggressive person isn’t in full control, he cannot see more than a couple of moves ahead, and cannot see the consequences of his actions. Because he is being constantly forced to react to the moves of his enemies, and to the unforeseen consequences of his own actions, his aggression is turned against him.
When you are in power you have to ask yourself, “What is the point of chasing here and there, trying to solve problems and defeat my enemies, if I never feel in control? Why am I always having to react to events instead of directing them?” The answer is simple: Your idea of power is wrong. You have mistaken aggressive action for effective action, and most often the most effective action is to stay back, keep calm, and let others be frustrated by the traps you lay for them, playing for the long-term power rather than a quick victory.
You need to remember that the essence of power is the ability to keep the initiative, to get others to react to your moves, and to keep your opponents and those around you on the defensive. When you make people come to you, you become the one who is controlling the situation, and the one who is controlling the situation has the power. Two things need to happen to put yourself in this position: First of all you must learn to master your emotions, and secondly you must never be influenced by anger. In the meantime you must play on people’s natural tendency to react angrily when pushed and baited, and in the long run the ability to make others come to you is a weapon that is far more powerful than any tool of aggression.
In the case of Talleyrand first of all overcame the urge to try and convince his fellow statesmen that they needed to banish Napoleon far away. Few of his contemporaries believed that Napoleon was still a threat, and so if he had spent a lot of time and energy trying to convince them he was he would have looked a fool. Instead, he kept his tongue and his emotions in check, and most importantly he laid Napoleon an irresistible trap.
He knew of Napoleon’s weakness, his need for glory and the love of the masses, and he played this all to perfection. When Napoleon took the bait there was no danger that he could turn the tables on Talleyrand, who knew better than anyone of France’s weak condition, and even if Napoleon had been able to overcome these difficulties because he hadn’t been able to choose his time and place of action his chances of success in the long term were nil.
Everyone only has so much energy, and there is a moment when our energies are at their peak. When you make the other person come to you, he wears himself out by wasting energy on the trip. In 1905 Russia and Japan were at war, and as Japan had only just begun to modernize their warships the Russian navy was much superior to theirs. Togo Heihachiro, a Japanese marshal, decided to spread false information that said if the Russians left their docks in the Baltic Sea they would be able to wipe out the entire Japanese navy in one swift attack, baiting them to leave their docks.
The Russian fleet could not reach Japan by the quickest route which was through the Strait of Gibraltar, through the Suez Canal, and into the Indian Ocean, as these were controlled by the British who were an ally of Japan. Instead they had to go round the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa, which added over 6,000 miles to their journey.
Once the Russian fleet was past this point the Japanese spread another false story that said they were setting sail to launch a counterattack, which meant that for the rest of the journey to Japan the Russians were on combat alert. By the time the Russians arrived in Japan the crews were tense, exhausted, and severely overworked, while the Japanese were fresh and relaxed and had been leisurely waiting for them to arrive, knowing the state the Russians would be in when they arrived. Despite them having inferior warships and a lack of experience in modern naval warfare, the Japanese completely crushed the Russians.
Another benefit of having your opponent come to you is that you force them to operate in your territory. Being on hostile ground will make your opponent nervous and so he will often rush his actions and make mistakes that you can exploit. For negotiations or meetings it is always wise to lure the other party into your territory, or a territory of your choice, as you will have your bearings while your opponent will see nothing familiar to gain comfort from and will be placed on the back foot.
Manipulation is a dangerous game, as once someone suspects that they are being manipulated it will become harder and harder to control them. But when you make your opponent come to you, you will give them the illusion that they are controlling the situation and they will not feel the strings that are pulling them, just as Napoleon felt that he himself was the master of his daring escape and return to power. Everything depends on the sweetness of your bait, as if your trap is attractive enough your enemies’ emotions and desires will blind them to the reality of the situation. The greedier you make them become, the more you will be able to lead them around.
When you are making people come to you, however, it is sometimes better to let them know that you are forcing their hand. You give up deception for overt manipulation, and the psychological ramifications are profound: The person who makes others come to him appears powerful and demands respect.
Filippo Brunelleschi, the great Renaissance artist and architect, was a master of the art of making others come to him as a sign of his power. On one occasion he had been commissioned to repair the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in Florence, which was extremely prestigious. However, the city officials then hired a second man, Lorenzo Ghiberti, to work with Brunelleschi, which he was extremely upset with as he knew that Ghiberti had only got the job through his connections and would do little work but get half the credit for the commission.
At a critical moment of the works Brunelleschi suddenly “developed” a mystery illness and had to stop working on the project, but pointed out to city officials that as they had hired Ghiberti as well he should be more than capable of being able to complete the work on his own. It soon became obvious to the officials that Ghiberti was totally useless and they went begging to Brunelleschi to come and complete the work himself when he was “better”.
Brunelleschi ignored them, insisting that Ghiberti could finish the project on his own, so the city officials fired Ghiberti. When Brunelleschi found out he suddenly made a miraculous recovery and agreed that he would finish off the work. Brunelleschi didn’t have to throw a tantrum or make a fool of himself when Ghiberti was hired, he simply practiced the art of making others come to you.
If on one occasion you make it a point of dignity that others must come to you and you succeed, they will continue to do so even after you stop trying.
Image: The Honeyed Bear Trap
The bear hunter does not chase his prey; a bear that knows it is hunted is nearly impossible to catch and is ferocious if cornered. Instead, the hunter lays traps baited with honey. He does not exhaust himself and risk his life in pursuit. He baits, then waits.
Authority
Good warriors make others come to them, and do not go to others. This is the principle of emptiness and fullness of others and self. When you induce opponents to come to you, then their force is always empty; as long as you do not go to them, your force is always full. Attacking emptiness with fullness is like throwing stones on eggs. (Zhang Yu, 11th century)
Reversal
Although it is generally the wiser policy to make others exhaust themselves and come to you, there are opposite cases where striking suddenly and aggressively at the enemy will demoralize them so much that their energies sink. Instead of making them come to you, you go to them and force the issue and take the lead. Fast attack can be an awesome weapon as it forces the other person to react with little or no time to think and plan. With no time to think people make errors of judgement and are thrown onto the defensive, and serves the same function as making the enemy come to you – you make your enemy respond on your terms.
Men like Napoleon used the element of speed to intimidate and control, as a rapid and unforeseen move is both terrifying and demoralizing. You must choose your tactics depending on the situation you are in. If you have time on your side, and you know that your enemies are at least equal strength to you, then deplete their strength by making them come to you. If time is against you, and your enemies are weaker than you so waiting will only give them time to recover their strength, give them no such chance. Strike quickly and they have nowhere to go. As the boxer Joe Louis put it, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”
My Opinion
Although most of the Law refers to actual physical warfare, I do have a lot of experience of this in business. I feel a lot more comfortable during negotiations if I am in a familiar environment that I know well than in someone else’s office where I’ve never been before, and the meeting/negotiations tend to go a lot better for me if I am in a familiar environment.
There is a lot of sense in this Law, but the language he uses does him no favours, using words like “deception” and “manipulation” instantly makes people feel this is a bad and negative Law when in fact bringing people into “your backyard” can give you a massive advantage over the other party.
When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards.
Observance Of The Law
At the Congress of Vienna in 1814 the major powers of Europe gathered to carve up the remains of Napoleon’s fallen Empire. The city was full of jollity and the balls that took place were some of the most extravagant in living memory, but hovering over the proceedings was the shadow of Napoleon himself, who instead of being executed or exiled far away, had been sent to the island of Elba, just off the Italian coast.
Even though he was imprisoned on an island, everyone was nervous as Napoleon was a bold and creative man and most people expected him to make an escape attempt. The Austrians plotted to kill him, but decided it was too risky, and when the Russian Tsar Alexander I was denied a portion of Poland he went into a rage and declared “Beware, I shall loose the monster!” with everyone knowing he meant Napoleon. Of everyone at the congress, only Talleyrand, Napoleon’s former foreign minister, seem unconcerned, and it was as if he knew something that the others did not.
Meanwhile, on Elba, Napoleon had been mocked and been allowed to form a court as Elba’s “king”, complete with a cook, wardrobe mistress, and a few courtiers. All this was designed to humiliate Napoleon and it seem to have worked.
That winter there occurred some very strange events. Elba was surrounded by British warships with their cannons at the ready, covering all exit points off the island. However, in broad daylight on 26th February 1815, a ship with 900 men onboard picked up Napoleon and fled out to sea. The English gave chase but the ship got away, and this seemingly impossible escape astonished the people of Europe and terrified the statesmen who had been at the Congress of Vienna.
Even though it would have been much safer to have fled Europe, Napoleon went back to France, raised a small army, and marched on Paris with the intention of recapturing the throne. His gamble paid off, as when people saw him on his way to Paris they literally threw themselves at his feet, and even though an army under Marshal Ney was dispatched to arrest him when the soldiers saw their beloved former leader they changed sides. Napoleon was declared emperor again, volunteers swelled the ranks of his new army, delirium swept throughout France, and the king who had replaced Napoleon fled the country.
For the next 100 days Napoleon ruled France once again, but then the wave of excitement died down. France was bankrupt, its resources exhausted, and Napoleon could do little about it. In June that year, at the Battle of Waterloo, he was defeated for good. This time his enemies had learned their lesson and he was exiled to the faraway island of St Helena, off the west coast of Africa, where he had no chance or hope of escape.
Interpretation
Only some years later did the facts of Napoleon’s dramatic escape from Elba come to light. Before he decided to attempt an escape, visitors had told him that he was more popular in France than ever, and that if he were to return the country would embrace him again. One of these visitors was Austria’s General Koller, who convinced Napoleon that if he managed to escape the European powers, England included, would welcome him back into power. Napoleon was tipped off that the English would let him go, and indeed his escape happened in broad daylight in full view of the English naval fleet.
What Napoleon did not know was that behind the scenes was a man pulling all the strings, his former foreign minister Talleyrand, who instead of planning to bring back Napoleon’s glory days was plotting to crush him once and for all due to Napoleon’s ambition to bring instability all across Europe. When Napoleon as exiled to Elba, Talleyrand protested loudly that he should be sent much further away or Europe would never have peace, but he was ignored. Instead of continuing to push his opinion, Talleyrand bided his time, and managed to win over Castlereagh and Metternich, the foreign ministers of England and Austria.
Together these men baited Napoleon into escaping, and even Koller’s visit was part of the plan. Talleyrand had figured everything out in advance, and knew Napoleon would fall into the trap he had set, and had even correctly predicted that he would lead the country into another war which could only last a few months due to France’s weakened condition. One diplomat in Vienna, when finding out that it was Talleyrand behind it all, said, “He has set the house ablaze in order to save it from the plague.”
“When I have laid bait for deer, I don’t shoot at the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the whole herd has gathered round.” (Otto von Bismarck, 1815-1898)
Keys To Power
This scenario has played itself out many times in history – an aggressive leader initiates a series of bold moves that begin by bringing him much power. However, after a period of time, his power reaches a peak and everything turns against him. His numerous enemies join together and by trying to maintain his power he exhausts himself going in all directions and eventually collapses. The reason for this is that the aggressive person isn’t in full control, he cannot see more than a couple of moves ahead, and cannot see the consequences of his actions. Because he is being constantly forced to react to the moves of his enemies, and to the unforeseen consequences of his own actions, his aggression is turned against him.
When you are in power you have to ask yourself, “What is the point of chasing here and there, trying to solve problems and defeat my enemies, if I never feel in control? Why am I always having to react to events instead of directing them?” The answer is simple: Your idea of power is wrong. You have mistaken aggressive action for effective action, and most often the most effective action is to stay back, keep calm, and let others be frustrated by the traps you lay for them, playing for the long-term power rather than a quick victory.
You need to remember that the essence of power is the ability to keep the initiative, to get others to react to your moves, and to keep your opponents and those around you on the defensive. When you make people come to you, you become the one who is controlling the situation, and the one who is controlling the situation has the power. Two things need to happen to put yourself in this position: First of all you must learn to master your emotions, and secondly you must never be influenced by anger. In the meantime you must play on people’s natural tendency to react angrily when pushed and baited, and in the long run the ability to make others come to you is a weapon that is far more powerful than any tool of aggression.
In the case of Talleyrand first of all overcame the urge to try and convince his fellow statesmen that they needed to banish Napoleon far away. Few of his contemporaries believed that Napoleon was still a threat, and so if he had spent a lot of time and energy trying to convince them he was he would have looked a fool. Instead, he kept his tongue and his emotions in check, and most importantly he laid Napoleon an irresistible trap.
He knew of Napoleon’s weakness, his need for glory and the love of the masses, and he played this all to perfection. When Napoleon took the bait there was no danger that he could turn the tables on Talleyrand, who knew better than anyone of France’s weak condition, and even if Napoleon had been able to overcome these difficulties because he hadn’t been able to choose his time and place of action his chances of success in the long term were nil.
Everyone only has so much energy, and there is a moment when our energies are at their peak. When you make the other person come to you, he wears himself out by wasting energy on the trip. In 1905 Russia and Japan were at war, and as Japan had only just begun to modernize their warships the Russian navy was much superior to theirs. Togo Heihachiro, a Japanese marshal, decided to spread false information that said if the Russians left their docks in the Baltic Sea they would be able to wipe out the entire Japanese navy in one swift attack, baiting them to leave their docks.
The Russian fleet could not reach Japan by the quickest route which was through the Strait of Gibraltar, through the Suez Canal, and into the Indian Ocean, as these were controlled by the British who were an ally of Japan. Instead they had to go round the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa, which added over 6,000 miles to their journey.
Once the Russian fleet was past this point the Japanese spread another false story that said they were setting sail to launch a counterattack, which meant that for the rest of the journey to Japan the Russians were on combat alert. By the time the Russians arrived in Japan the crews were tense, exhausted, and severely overworked, while the Japanese were fresh and relaxed and had been leisurely waiting for them to arrive, knowing the state the Russians would be in when they arrived. Despite them having inferior warships and a lack of experience in modern naval warfare, the Japanese completely crushed the Russians.
Another benefit of having your opponent come to you is that you force them to operate in your territory. Being on hostile ground will make your opponent nervous and so he will often rush his actions and make mistakes that you can exploit. For negotiations or meetings it is always wise to lure the other party into your territory, or a territory of your choice, as you will have your bearings while your opponent will see nothing familiar to gain comfort from and will be placed on the back foot.
Manipulation is a dangerous game, as once someone suspects that they are being manipulated it will become harder and harder to control them. But when you make your opponent come to you, you will give them the illusion that they are controlling the situation and they will not feel the strings that are pulling them, just as Napoleon felt that he himself was the master of his daring escape and return to power. Everything depends on the sweetness of your bait, as if your trap is attractive enough your enemies’ emotions and desires will blind them to the reality of the situation. The greedier you make them become, the more you will be able to lead them around.
When you are making people come to you, however, it is sometimes better to let them know that you are forcing their hand. You give up deception for overt manipulation, and the psychological ramifications are profound: The person who makes others come to him appears powerful and demands respect.
Filippo Brunelleschi, the great Renaissance artist and architect, was a master of the art of making others come to him as a sign of his power. On one occasion he had been commissioned to repair the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in Florence, which was extremely prestigious. However, the city officials then hired a second man, Lorenzo Ghiberti, to work with Brunelleschi, which he was extremely upset with as he knew that Ghiberti had only got the job through his connections and would do little work but get half the credit for the commission.
At a critical moment of the works Brunelleschi suddenly “developed” a mystery illness and had to stop working on the project, but pointed out to city officials that as they had hired Ghiberti as well he should be more than capable of being able to complete the work on his own. It soon became obvious to the officials that Ghiberti was totally useless and they went begging to Brunelleschi to come and complete the work himself when he was “better”.
Brunelleschi ignored them, insisting that Ghiberti could finish the project on his own, so the city officials fired Ghiberti. When Brunelleschi found out he suddenly made a miraculous recovery and agreed that he would finish off the work. Brunelleschi didn’t have to throw a tantrum or make a fool of himself when Ghiberti was hired, he simply practiced the art of making others come to you.
If on one occasion you make it a point of dignity that others must come to you and you succeed, they will continue to do so even after you stop trying.
Image: The Honeyed Bear Trap
The bear hunter does not chase his prey; a bear that knows it is hunted is nearly impossible to catch and is ferocious if cornered. Instead, the hunter lays traps baited with honey. He does not exhaust himself and risk his life in pursuit. He baits, then waits.
Authority
Good warriors make others come to them, and do not go to others. This is the principle of emptiness and fullness of others and self. When you induce opponents to come to you, then their force is always empty; as long as you do not go to them, your force is always full. Attacking emptiness with fullness is like throwing stones on eggs. (Zhang Yu, 11th century)
Reversal
Although it is generally the wiser policy to make others exhaust themselves and come to you, there are opposite cases where striking suddenly and aggressively at the enemy will demoralize them so much that their energies sink. Instead of making them come to you, you go to them and force the issue and take the lead. Fast attack can be an awesome weapon as it forces the other person to react with little or no time to think and plan. With no time to think people make errors of judgement and are thrown onto the defensive, and serves the same function as making the enemy come to you – you make your enemy respond on your terms.
Men like Napoleon used the element of speed to intimidate and control, as a rapid and unforeseen move is both terrifying and demoralizing. You must choose your tactics depending on the situation you are in. If you have time on your side, and you know that your enemies are at least equal strength to you, then deplete their strength by making them come to you. If time is against you, and your enemies are weaker than you so waiting will only give them time to recover their strength, give them no such chance. Strike quickly and they have nowhere to go. As the boxer Joe Louis put it, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”
My Opinion
Although most of the Law refers to actual physical warfare, I do have a lot of experience of this in business. I feel a lot more comfortable during negotiations if I am in a familiar environment that I know well than in someone else’s office where I’ve never been before, and the meeting/negotiations tend to go a lot better for me if I am in a familiar environment.
There is a lot of sense in this Law, but the language he uses does him no favours, using words like “deception” and “manipulation” instantly makes people feel this is a bad and negative Law when in fact bringing people into “your backyard” can give you a massive advantage over the other party.
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Law 8 – Make Other People Come To You – Use Bait If Necessary
When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards.
Observance Of The Law
At the Congress of Vienna in 1814 the major powers of Europe gathered to carve up the remains of Napoleon’s fallen Empire. The city was full of jollity and the balls that took place were some of the most extravagant in living memory, but hovering over the proceedings was the shadow of Napoleon himself, who instead of being executed or exiled far away, had been sent to the island of Elba, just off the Italian coast.
Even though he was imprisoned on an island, everyone was nervous as Napoleon was a bold and creative man and most people expected him to make an escape attempt. The Austrians plotted to kill him, but decided it was too risky, and when the Russian Tsar Alexander I was denied a portion of Poland he went into a rage and declared “Beware, I shall loose the monster!” with everyone knowing he meant Napoleon. Of everyone at the congress, only Talleyrand, Napoleon’s former foreign minister, seem unconcerned, and it was as if he knew something that the others did not.
Meanwhile, on Elba, Napoleon had been mocked and been allowed to form a court as Elba’s “king”, complete with a cook, wardrobe mistress, and a few courtiers. All this was designed to humiliate Napoleon and it seem to have worked.
That winter there occurred some very strange events. Elba was surrounded by British warships with their cannons at the ready, covering all exit points off the island. However, in broad daylight on 26th February 1815, a ship with 900 men onboard picked up Napoleon and fled out to sea. The English gave chase but the ship got away, and this seemingly impossible escape astonished the people of Europe and terrified the statesmen who had been at the Congress of Vienna.
Even though it would have been much safer to have fled Europe, Napoleon went back to France, raised a small army, and marched on Paris with the intention of recapturing the throne. His gamble paid off, as when people saw him on his way to Paris they literally threw themselves at his feet, and even though an army under Marshal Ney was dispatched to arrest him when the soldiers saw their beloved former leader they changed sides. Napoleon was declared emperor again, volunteers swelled the ranks of his new army, delirium swept throughout France, and the king who had replaced Napoleon fled the country.
For the next 100 days Napoleon ruled France once again, but then the wave of excitement died down. France was bankrupt, its resources exhausted, and Napoleon could do little about it. In June that year, at the Battle of Waterloo, he was defeated for good. This time his enemies had learned their lesson and he was exiled to the faraway island of St Helena, off the west coast of Africa, where he had no chance or hope of escape.
Interpretation
Only some years later did the facts of Napoleon’s dramatic escape from Elba come to light. Before he decided to attempt an escape, visitors had told him that he was more popular in France than ever, and that if he were to return the country would embrace him again. One of these visitors was Austria’s General Koller, who convinced Napoleon that if he managed to escape the European powers, England included, would welcome him back into power. Napoleon was tipped off that the English would let him go, and indeed his escape happened in broad daylight in full view of the English naval fleet.
What Napoleon did not know was that behind the scenes was a man pulling all the strings, his former foreign minister Talleyrand, who instead of planning to bring back Napoleon’s glory days was plotting to crush him once and for all due to Napoleon’s ambition to bring instability all across Europe. When Napoleon as exiled to Elba, Talleyrand protested loudly that he should be sent much further away or Europe would never have peace, but he was ignored. Instead of continuing to push his opinion, Talleyrand bided his time, and managed to win over Castlereagh and Metternich, the foreign ministers of England and Austria.
Together these men baited Napoleon into escaping, and even Koller’s visit was part of the plan. Talleyrand had figured everything out in advance, and knew Napoleon would fall into the trap he had set, and had even correctly predicted that he would lead the country into another war which could only last a few months due to France’s weakened condition. One diplomat in Vienna, when finding out that it was Talleyrand behind it all, said, “He has set the house ablaze in order to save it from the plague.”
“When I have laid bait for deer, I don’t shoot at the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the whole herd has gathered round.” (Otto von Bismarck, 1815-1898)
Keys To Power
This scenario has played itself out many times in history – an aggressive leader initiates a series of bold moves that begin by bringing him much power. However, after a period of time, his power reaches a peak and everything turns against him. His numerous enemies join together and by trying to maintain his power he exhausts himself going in all directions and eventually collapses. The reason for this is that the aggressive person isn’t in full control, he cannot see more than a couple of moves ahead, and cannot see the consequences of his actions. Because he is being constantly forced to react to the moves of his enemies, and to the unforeseen consequences of his own actions, his aggression is turned against him.
When you are in power you have to ask yourself, “What is the point of chasing here and there, trying to solve problems and defeat my enemies, if I never feel in control? Why am I always having to react to events instead of directing them?” The answer is simple: Your idea of power is wrong. You have mistaken aggressive action for effective action, and most often the most effective action is to stay back, keep calm, and let others be frustrated by the traps you lay for them, playing for the long-term power rather than a quick victory.
You need to remember that the essence of power is the ability to keep the initiative, to get others to react to your moves, and to keep your opponents and those around you on the defensive. When you make people come to you, you become the one who is controlling the situation, and the one who is controlling the situation has the power. Two things need to happen to put yourself in this position: First of all you must learn to master your emotions, and secondly you must never be influenced by anger. In the meantime you must play on people’s natural tendency to react angrily when pushed and baited, and in the long run the ability to make others come to you is a weapon that is far more powerful than any tool of aggression.
In the case of Talleyrand first of all overcame the urge to try and convince his fellow statesmen that they needed to banish Napoleon far away. Few of his contemporaries believed that Napoleon was still a threat, and so if he had spent a lot of time and energy trying to convince them he was he would have looked a fool. Instead, he kept his tongue and his emotions in check, and most importantly he laid Napoleon an irresistible trap.
He knew of Napoleon’s weakness, his need for glory and the love of the masses, and he played this all to perfection. When Napoleon took the bait there was no danger that he could turn the tables on Talleyrand, who knew better than anyone of France’s weak condition, and even if Napoleon had been able to overcome these difficulties because he hadn’t been able to choose his time and place of action his chances of success in the long term were nil.
Everyone only has so much energy, and there is a moment when our energies are at their peak. When you make the other person come to you, he wears himself out by wasting energy on the trip. In 1905 Russia and Japan were at war, and as Japan had only just begun to modernize their warships the Russian navy was much superior to theirs. Togo Heihachiro, a Japanese marshal, decided to spread false information that said if the Russians left their docks in the Baltic Sea they would be able to wipe out the entire Japanese navy in one swift attack, baiting them to leave their docks.
The Russian fleet could not reach Japan by the quickest route which was through the Strait of Gibraltar, through the Suez Canal, and into the Indian Ocean, as these were controlled by the British who were an ally of Japan. Instead they had to go round the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa, which added over 6,000 miles to their journey.
Once the Russian fleet was past this point the Japanese spread another false story that said they were setting sail to launch a counterattack, which meant that for the rest of the journey to Japan the Russians were on combat alert. By the time the Russians arrived in Japan the crews were tense, exhausted, and severely overworked, while the Japanese were fresh and relaxed and had been leisurely waiting for them to arrive, knowing the state the Russians would be in when they arrived. Despite them having inferior warships and a lack of experience in modern naval warfare, the Japanese completely crushed the Russians.
Another benefit of having your opponent come to you is that you force them to operate in your territory. Being on hostile ground will make your opponent nervous and so he will often rush his actions and make mistakes that you can exploit. For negotiations or meetings it is always wise to lure the other party into your territory, or a territory of your choice, as you will have your bearings while your opponent will see nothing familiar to gain comfort from and will be placed on the back foot.
Manipulation is a dangerous game, as once someone suspects that they are being manipulated it will become harder and harder to control them. But when you make your opponent come to you, you will give them the illusion that they are controlling the situation and they will not feel the strings that are pulling them, just as Napoleon felt that he himself was the master of his daring escape and return to power. Everything depends on the sweetness of your bait, as if your trap is attractive enough your enemies’ emotions and desires will blind them to the reality of the situation. The greedier you make them become, the more you will be able to lead them around.
When you are making people come to you, however, it is sometimes better to let them know that you are forcing their hand. You give up deception for overt manipulation, and the psychological ramifications are profound: The person who makes others come to him appears powerful and demands respect.
Filippo Brunelleschi, the great Renaissance artist and architect, was a master of the art of making others come to him as a sign of his power. On one occasion he had been commissioned to repair the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in Florence, which was extremely prestigious. However, the city officials then hired a second man, Lorenzo Ghiberti, to work with Brunelleschi, which he was extremely upset with as he knew that Ghiberti had only got the job through his connections and would do little work but get half the credit for the commission.
At a critical moment of the works Brunelleschi suddenly “developed” a mystery illness and had to stop working on the project, but pointed out to city officials that as they had hired Ghiberti as well he should be more than capable of being able to complete the work on his own. It soon became obvious to the officials that Ghiberti was totally useless and they went begging to Brunelleschi to come and complete the work himself when he was “better”.
Brunelleschi ignored them, insisting that Ghiberti could finish the project on his own, so the city officials fired Ghiberti. When Brunelleschi found out he suddenly made a miraculous recovery and agreed that he would finish off the work. Brunelleschi didn’t have to throw a tantrum or make a fool of himself when Ghiberti was hired, he simply practiced the art of making others come to you.
If on one occasion you make it a point of dignity that others must come to you and you succeed, they will continue to do so even after you stop trying.
Image: The Honeyed Bear Trap
The bear hunter does not chase his prey; a bear that knows it is hunted is nearly impossible to catch and is ferocious if cornered. Instead, the hunter lays traps baited with honey. He does not exhaust himself and risk his life in pursuit. He baits, then waits.
Authority
Good warriors make others come to them, and do not go to others. This is the principle of emptiness and fullness of others and self. When you induce opponents to come to you, then their force is always empty; as long as you do not go to them, your force is always full. Attacking emptiness with fullness is like throwing stones on eggs. (Zhang Yu, 11th century)
Reversal
Although it is generally the wiser policy to make others exhaust themselves and come to you, there are opposite cases where striking suddenly and aggressively at the enemy will demoralize them so much that their energies sink. Instead of making them come to you, you go to them and force the issue and take the lead. Fast attack can be an awesome weapon as it forces the other person to react with little or no time to think and plan. With no time to think people make errors of judgement and are thrown onto the defensive, and serves the same function as making the enemy come to you – you make your enemy respond on your terms.
Men like Napoleon used the element of speed to intimidate and control, as a rapid and unforeseen move is both terrifying and demoralizing. You must choose your tactics depending on the situation you are in. If you have time on your side, and you know that your enemies are at least equal strength to you, then deplete their strength by making them come to you. If time is against you, and your enemies are weaker than you so waiting will only give them time to recover their strength, give them no such chance. Strike quickly and they have nowhere to go. As the boxer Joe Louis put it, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”
My Opinion
Although most of the Law refers to actual physical warfare, I do have a lot of experience of this in business. I feel a lot more comfortable during negotiations if I am in a familiar environment that I know well than in someone else’s office where I’ve never been before, and the meeting/negotiations tend to go a lot better for me if I am in a familiar environment.
There is a lot of sense in this Law, but the language he uses does him no favours, using words like “deception” and “manipulation” instantly makes people feel this is a bad and negative Law when in fact bringing people into “your backyard” can give you a massive advantage over the other party.
When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. It is always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. Lure him with fabulous gains – then attack. You hold the cards.
Observance Of The Law
At the Congress of Vienna in 1814 the major powers of Europe gathered to carve up the remains of Napoleon’s fallen Empire. The city was full of jollity and the balls that took place were some of the most extravagant in living memory, but hovering over the proceedings was the shadow of Napoleon himself, who instead of being executed or exiled far away, had been sent to the island of Elba, just off the Italian coast.
Even though he was imprisoned on an island, everyone was nervous as Napoleon was a bold and creative man and most people expected him to make an escape attempt. The Austrians plotted to kill him, but decided it was too risky, and when the Russian Tsar Alexander I was denied a portion of Poland he went into a rage and declared “Beware, I shall loose the monster!” with everyone knowing he meant Napoleon. Of everyone at the congress, only Talleyrand, Napoleon’s former foreign minister, seem unconcerned, and it was as if he knew something that the others did not.
Meanwhile, on Elba, Napoleon had been mocked and been allowed to form a court as Elba’s “king”, complete with a cook, wardrobe mistress, and a few courtiers. All this was designed to humiliate Napoleon and it seem to have worked.
That winter there occurred some very strange events. Elba was surrounded by British warships with their cannons at the ready, covering all exit points off the island. However, in broad daylight on 26th February 1815, a ship with 900 men onboard picked up Napoleon and fled out to sea. The English gave chase but the ship got away, and this seemingly impossible escape astonished the people of Europe and terrified the statesmen who had been at the Congress of Vienna.
Even though it would have been much safer to have fled Europe, Napoleon went back to France, raised a small army, and marched on Paris with the intention of recapturing the throne. His gamble paid off, as when people saw him on his way to Paris they literally threw themselves at his feet, and even though an army under Marshal Ney was dispatched to arrest him when the soldiers saw their beloved former leader they changed sides. Napoleon was declared emperor again, volunteers swelled the ranks of his new army, delirium swept throughout France, and the king who had replaced Napoleon fled the country.
For the next 100 days Napoleon ruled France once again, but then the wave of excitement died down. France was bankrupt, its resources exhausted, and Napoleon could do little about it. In June that year, at the Battle of Waterloo, he was defeated for good. This time his enemies had learned their lesson and he was exiled to the faraway island of St Helena, off the west coast of Africa, where he had no chance or hope of escape.
Interpretation
Only some years later did the facts of Napoleon’s dramatic escape from Elba come to light. Before he decided to attempt an escape, visitors had told him that he was more popular in France than ever, and that if he were to return the country would embrace him again. One of these visitors was Austria’s General Koller, who convinced Napoleon that if he managed to escape the European powers, England included, would welcome him back into power. Napoleon was tipped off that the English would let him go, and indeed his escape happened in broad daylight in full view of the English naval fleet.
What Napoleon did not know was that behind the scenes was a man pulling all the strings, his former foreign minister Talleyrand, who instead of planning to bring back Napoleon’s glory days was plotting to crush him once and for all due to Napoleon’s ambition to bring instability all across Europe. When Napoleon as exiled to Elba, Talleyrand protested loudly that he should be sent much further away or Europe would never have peace, but he was ignored. Instead of continuing to push his opinion, Talleyrand bided his time, and managed to win over Castlereagh and Metternich, the foreign ministers of England and Austria.
Together these men baited Napoleon into escaping, and even Koller’s visit was part of the plan. Talleyrand had figured everything out in advance, and knew Napoleon would fall into the trap he had set, and had even correctly predicted that he would lead the country into another war which could only last a few months due to France’s weakened condition. One diplomat in Vienna, when finding out that it was Talleyrand behind it all, said, “He has set the house ablaze in order to save it from the plague.”
“When I have laid bait for deer, I don’t shoot at the first doe that comes to sniff, but wait until the whole herd has gathered round.” (Otto von Bismarck, 1815-1898)
Keys To Power
This scenario has played itself out many times in history – an aggressive leader initiates a series of bold moves that begin by bringing him much power. However, after a period of time, his power reaches a peak and everything turns against him. His numerous enemies join together and by trying to maintain his power he exhausts himself going in all directions and eventually collapses. The reason for this is that the aggressive person isn’t in full control, he cannot see more than a couple of moves ahead, and cannot see the consequences of his actions. Because he is being constantly forced to react to the moves of his enemies, and to the unforeseen consequences of his own actions, his aggression is turned against him.
When you are in power you have to ask yourself, “What is the point of chasing here and there, trying to solve problems and defeat my enemies, if I never feel in control? Why am I always having to react to events instead of directing them?” The answer is simple: Your idea of power is wrong. You have mistaken aggressive action for effective action, and most often the most effective action is to stay back, keep calm, and let others be frustrated by the traps you lay for them, playing for the long-term power rather than a quick victory.
You need to remember that the essence of power is the ability to keep the initiative, to get others to react to your moves, and to keep your opponents and those around you on the defensive. When you make people come to you, you become the one who is controlling the situation, and the one who is controlling the situation has the power. Two things need to happen to put yourself in this position: First of all you must learn to master your emotions, and secondly you must never be influenced by anger. In the meantime you must play on people’s natural tendency to react angrily when pushed and baited, and in the long run the ability to make others come to you is a weapon that is far more powerful than any tool of aggression.
In the case of Talleyrand first of all overcame the urge to try and convince his fellow statesmen that they needed to banish Napoleon far away. Few of his contemporaries believed that Napoleon was still a threat, and so if he had spent a lot of time and energy trying to convince them he was he would have looked a fool. Instead, he kept his tongue and his emotions in check, and most importantly he laid Napoleon an irresistible trap.
He knew of Napoleon’s weakness, his need for glory and the love of the masses, and he played this all to perfection. When Napoleon took the bait there was no danger that he could turn the tables on Talleyrand, who knew better than anyone of France’s weak condition, and even if Napoleon had been able to overcome these difficulties because he hadn’t been able to choose his time and place of action his chances of success in the long term were nil.
Everyone only has so much energy, and there is a moment when our energies are at their peak. When you make the other person come to you, he wears himself out by wasting energy on the trip. In 1905 Russia and Japan were at war, and as Japan had only just begun to modernize their warships the Russian navy was much superior to theirs. Togo Heihachiro, a Japanese marshal, decided to spread false information that said if the Russians left their docks in the Baltic Sea they would be able to wipe out the entire Japanese navy in one swift attack, baiting them to leave their docks.
The Russian fleet could not reach Japan by the quickest route which was through the Strait of Gibraltar, through the Suez Canal, and into the Indian Ocean, as these were controlled by the British who were an ally of Japan. Instead they had to go round the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern tip of Africa, which added over 6,000 miles to their journey.
Once the Russian fleet was past this point the Japanese spread another false story that said they were setting sail to launch a counterattack, which meant that for the rest of the journey to Japan the Russians were on combat alert. By the time the Russians arrived in Japan the crews were tense, exhausted, and severely overworked, while the Japanese were fresh and relaxed and had been leisurely waiting for them to arrive, knowing the state the Russians would be in when they arrived. Despite them having inferior warships and a lack of experience in modern naval warfare, the Japanese completely crushed the Russians.
Another benefit of having your opponent come to you is that you force them to operate in your territory. Being on hostile ground will make your opponent nervous and so he will often rush his actions and make mistakes that you can exploit. For negotiations or meetings it is always wise to lure the other party into your territory, or a territory of your choice, as you will have your bearings while your opponent will see nothing familiar to gain comfort from and will be placed on the back foot.
Manipulation is a dangerous game, as once someone suspects that they are being manipulated it will become harder and harder to control them. But when you make your opponent come to you, you will give them the illusion that they are controlling the situation and they will not feel the strings that are pulling them, just as Napoleon felt that he himself was the master of his daring escape and return to power. Everything depends on the sweetness of your bait, as if your trap is attractive enough your enemies’ emotions and desires will blind them to the reality of the situation. The greedier you make them become, the more you will be able to lead them around.
When you are making people come to you, however, it is sometimes better to let them know that you are forcing their hand. You give up deception for overt manipulation, and the psychological ramifications are profound: The person who makes others come to him appears powerful and demands respect.
Filippo Brunelleschi, the great Renaissance artist and architect, was a master of the art of making others come to him as a sign of his power. On one occasion he had been commissioned to repair the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in Florence, which was extremely prestigious. However, the city officials then hired a second man, Lorenzo Ghiberti, to work with Brunelleschi, which he was extremely upset with as he knew that Ghiberti had only got the job through his connections and would do little work but get half the credit for the commission.
At a critical moment of the works Brunelleschi suddenly “developed” a mystery illness and had to stop working on the project, but pointed out to city officials that as they had hired Ghiberti as well he should be more than capable of being able to complete the work on his own. It soon became obvious to the officials that Ghiberti was totally useless and they went begging to Brunelleschi to come and complete the work himself when he was “better”.
Brunelleschi ignored them, insisting that Ghiberti could finish the project on his own, so the city officials fired Ghiberti. When Brunelleschi found out he suddenly made a miraculous recovery and agreed that he would finish off the work. Brunelleschi didn’t have to throw a tantrum or make a fool of himself when Ghiberti was hired, he simply practiced the art of making others come to you.
If on one occasion you make it a point of dignity that others must come to you and you succeed, they will continue to do so even after you stop trying.
Image: The Honeyed Bear Trap
The bear hunter does not chase his prey; a bear that knows it is hunted is nearly impossible to catch and is ferocious if cornered. Instead, the hunter lays traps baited with honey. He does not exhaust himself and risk his life in pursuit. He baits, then waits.
Authority
Good warriors make others come to them, and do not go to others. This is the principle of emptiness and fullness of others and self. When you induce opponents to come to you, then their force is always empty; as long as you do not go to them, your force is always full. Attacking emptiness with fullness is like throwing stones on eggs. (Zhang Yu, 11th century)
Reversal
Although it is generally the wiser policy to make others exhaust themselves and come to you, there are opposite cases where striking suddenly and aggressively at the enemy will demoralize them so much that their energies sink. Instead of making them come to you, you go to them and force the issue and take the lead. Fast attack can be an awesome weapon as it forces the other person to react with little or no time to think and plan. With no time to think people make errors of judgement and are thrown onto the defensive, and serves the same function as making the enemy come to you – you make your enemy respond on your terms.
Men like Napoleon used the element of speed to intimidate and control, as a rapid and unforeseen move is both terrifying and demoralizing. You must choose your tactics depending on the situation you are in. If you have time on your side, and you know that your enemies are at least equal strength to you, then deplete their strength by making them come to you. If time is against you, and your enemies are weaker than you so waiting will only give them time to recover their strength, give them no such chance. Strike quickly and they have nowhere to go. As the boxer Joe Louis put it, “He can run, but he can’t hide.”
My Opinion
Although most of the Law refers to actual physical warfare, I do have a lot of experience of this in business. I feel a lot more comfortable during negotiations if I am in a familiar environment that I know well than in someone else’s office where I’ve never been before, and the meeting/negotiations tend to go a lot better for me if I am in a familiar environment.
There is a lot of sense in this Law, but the language he uses does him no favours, using words like “deception” and “manipulation” instantly makes people feel this is a bad and negative Law when in fact bringing people into “your backyard” can give you a massive advantage over the other party.