Unpopular Opinion The Art of War

My friend smiled impishly, like he was going to say something naughty.

"I have a confession," he said, "I hated The Art of War."

"Me, too!" I was happy. I had never heard anyone else say they hated the book.

"Sun Tzu came across as so arrogant,” he said.

"That story about him training the concubines to prove his military leadership," I explained, "and they weren't taking it seriously nor following his orders. So, he had the leaders executed without warning to enforce discipline. Without warning! He lost all credibility with me."

We discussed toxic leadership.

He concluded, "No wonder all the CEO dude-bros like him so much. He's one of them."

My friend and I are both martial artists and we’re both leaders. He’s AudHD and I’m ADHD. I want to say it was our neurodivergence that gave us such a strong reaction to Sun Tzu, but maybe it was our other life experiences too?

People with autism and ADHD tend to be more empathic, and that’s what makes us such ethical leaders.

Ethical Courage:

• Is a sorting mechanism → tells you fast if a workplace is a good match for you to lead in.

• Signals integrity → makes people who value ethics lean toward you as a leader.

• Prevents moral injury → keeps you from slowly compromising yourself in toxic systems.

However:

• Sometimes there’s a short-term risk → you can lose a job or promotion.

But:

·        Improves your long-term positioning → moves you out of workplaces that will drain you, into workplaces where you can thrive.

After Sun Tzu executed the lead concubines, the rest took his instruction seriously.

Fear based leadership is fragile.

Ethical based leadership is enduring.

ADHD leaders excel at ethical leadership.

What’s the bravest leadership decision you’ve ever made?

The 21st century needs ADHD Leaders.
If this is you, I want to support you.

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