MIYAMOTO MUSASHI

The Five Rings

Baptiste GAGLIARDI - Xavier QUEVAL
Caen, 7th May 2010
Sylvie SAING - Amardeep SINGH
 Miyamoto Musashi

 1584 -1645

 Famous Japanese samurai and

swordsman

 Through stories of his excellent

swordsmanship in numerous duels,
even from a very young age

 Founder of Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or

Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship

 Author of The Book of Five Rings

Reference: Wikipedia
Gorin-No-Sho - Treaty of « The Five Rings »

Void
Need to know the
others strategies
The 9 rules of personal behavior

1. Do not think dishonestly

 “You should not copy others, but use weapons which you can use

properly”
 Honesty

 Long term orientation in negotiation

2. The way is in training

 “You must practice constantly” & “There is timing in

everything”
 “In a crisis we will not rise to our expectations, but fall to our

level of training” Paul Vunak

 “Timing in strategy cannot be mastered without a great deal of

practice”
The 9 rules of personal behavior

3. Become acquainted with every art

4. Know the Ways of all professions

 “It is difficult to know yourself if you do not know the others”

 “Observing the spirit of the enemy”

 “The become the enemy means to think yourself into the enemy’s

position”
 Interest for many types of knowledge

 Sony-Ericsson
 Diversification & Benchmarking
The 9 rules of personal behavior

5. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters

 “Even if you kill an enemy, if it is not based on what you have

learned it is not the true Way”

 Victory is only important if deserved

 Masculinity & Achievement

6. Develop intuitive judgment and understanding for everything

 “In strategy it is necessary to treat training as part of normal life

with your spirit unchanging”

 “If you attain this spirit, it applies to everyday life”

 Behavior is the same in the personal and professional life

 Business is also done outside the work place but it stays only
professional
The 9 rules of personal behavior

7. Perceive those things which cannot be seen

 “The training of killing enemies is by way of many contests

[…] discovering the meaning of life and death”

 “With your spirit calm, attack with a feeling of constantly

crushing the enemy, from first to last. The spirit is to win in

the depths of the enemy”
 “Do not let the enemy see your spirit”

 Importance of the spirituality, saving face

 Stay calm, humble, control of emotions

The 9 rules of personal behavior

8. Pay attention even to trifles

 “You can win quickly by taking the lead, it is one of the most important

things in strategy”
 “Forestall the enemy”

 Perfectionism, sense of details

 Meeting: rituals, salutations, gifts…

 Toyotism, Zero defects (e.g: Sony, Canon) Taiichi Ōno. 50’s
 Technical problems with Toyota Yaris

9. Do nothing which is of no use

 “Both in fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though

calm”
 Be patient & calm communication
Consequences in business

 Analysis is the key: high uncertainty avoidance

 Pay attention to details, technical information
 Be formal
 Rigid time perception & long term orientation
 Business done also outside the work place
 Yes culture: avoid confrontation
 Low context
 Keep distance with your interlocutor

 Implicit communication

 Be patient, calm & humble

Any questions ?
References

 Go Rin No Sho – A book of five rings

 www.globalnegotiator.com
 www.ittendojo.org/articles/phil-9.htm
 www.bookoffiverings.com/EarthBook.htm
 www.ganesha.org/misc/books/business.html
 www.urbancombatives.com/musashi.htm
 http://lklawson.isa-geek.org/sync/Martial_Arts/book/Musashi,%20
Miyamoto%20-%20A%20Book%20of%20Five%20Rings(Go%20R
in%20No%20Sho).pdf