The Art of War by Sun Tzu

II Waging War

2. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardour will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.


Notes by Zephyrist:

A long entrenched battle such as Vietnam and Iraq will sap the armies strength, wear out weapons and become a trap. A quick battle is always best.

In the workplace, a constant battle against a foe will sap moral. 'Quick wins' are important to bolster the team and give it renewed energy and purpose.

A waiting game will only eat up resources, you need to move forward. In a battle on the high street between rival retailers you cannot wait for the enemy to run out of ideas, you have to have better ideas or you will be left behind. Inactivity can only use up resources and may lead to defeat.