The Way of Go: 8 Ancient Strategy Secrets for Success in Business and Life

Troy Anderson

Aug 2004 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

For centuries, business, political, and military leaders throughout Asia have had a secret weapon for success -- the philosophies and strategies found in an ancient game called Go.
Now, Troy Anderson, an entrepreneur, knowledge management expert, Fortune 500 management consultant, and one of only five Americans to train at the Japanese Professional Go Academy, brings these philosophies and strategies to the West.
Leaders and intellects such as Mao Tse-tung, Bill Gates, and John Nash (the game was featured in the movie A Beautiful Mind) as well as many CEOs and political leaders throughout Asia are among the 27 million people who have played this simple two-person board game known as the "game of geniuses."
In this unique book, Troy Anderson shares the essential elements of strategy and competition that define the game of Go and shows how these principles can be applied wherever strategy is called for:

• How to make use of limited resources and time to produce the largest gain
• Which initiatives to continue and which to abandon
• When to lead and when to follow your opponent
• How to weigh competing interests among different units
• How to enter a market where the competition is already well established
• How to proceed to ensure success if the competition enters your market
• How to create a strategic plan when the market changes quickly
• How to go global but think locally

Go provides experience and understanding regarding basic strategic problems that no other art, science, or field, other than war, can readily claim. In addition to an enriching account of how the game of Go has influenced Anderson's life, the valuable lessons imparted here add up to a powerful prescription for success -- whether you are seeking professional achievement, better competitive understanding, stronger personal relationships, or simply a more rewarding life.

Ratings and reviews

I haven't read the book in it's entirety although there are interesting lessons that can be learned from his analogies for business and life. I've never played Go but I have learned quite a bit about how to make decisions in life based on perspectives gained from this wonderful book. It may seem a little confusing at first but I think if you take the time to ponder what he is saying, so much can be gained from your thoughtful inflection. You will begin to understand by reflecting on your life and your eyes will be widened. It isn't so much about playing Go as it is about learning to become wiser in our interactions. You can gain in understanding as little or as much as you want from this book. It's all in what you need and want. As in life, everything is out there that one needs. We just have to know what that is that we are needing and grasp hold of it. The book is a journey and it is one well worth traveling! An enjoyable read!

This book is very deep. On it's surface it goes through business and various strategies about life with rules of thumb from Go. What lurks underneath are subtleties that transcend Go's rules and speaks to the foundational root of all strategy. Completely unexpected from what I thought would be a fluff business book.

Excellent

About the author

Troy Anderson is one of only five Americans ever permitted to train at the Japanese Professional Go Association's academy. Anderson has been a senior executive with Red Herring Communications and The Industry Standard, the President/COO of Stockmaster, an entrepreneur for CDCO, and a management strategy consultant. Troy Anderson is currently a principal with the Way of Go, Inc., a strategic consultancy, and the Director of Knowledge Initiatives at the Fannie Mae Foundation in Washington, D.C.