Leadership
Leadership was a treatise on war written by the Kami Akodo in the 1st century. It was a collection of thoughts on Bushido, Battle, and Leadership. It was perhaps the most read book in the military arts, and could be found in most dojo throughout Rokugan.
The first half was written by Akodo in the final years of the Kami's life, drawing on his experiences in the First War. The second half of the book was left deliberately unwritten, so his successors would be able to add their own experiences to the book.
The Ikoma were said to have the only complete, unedited version of Akodo's Leadership, as it had been changed through history to suit each Emperor's views on warfare. The original was the possession of the Lion Clan Champion, and the massive volume begun by the Kami Akodo was appended by every Lion Champion since.
War is inevitable, and in such times a daimyo would call upon his men. A samurai would serve and command, but before that, a samurai must prepare and study. Victory was not taking the lives of the enemy, but saving the lives of ones kin. Those who would falter first would be the first to fall, that the price of defeat was greater than honor or pride. Learning to win was not enough, it was necessary to learn how not to lose.
Those who said warfare was selfish, or who studied it seeking only to increase their own glory and position were fools and would lead Rokugan to doom. Nothing is more important than the art of warfare, for it protects all other art. Generals who did not study warfare would become uncertain and hesitated on the battlefield, causing an army to fail.
Duty was the samurai's soul, neglecting his duty a samurai would scar his soul. Fulfilling Duty was all or nothing, black or white, there were no grays. This was what it meant to be a samurai.
A samurai kept in mind and heart the understanding that he must die. Surrendering to ambition, lust, greed, or any other thing, a samurai would hesitate for that one crucial moment when it came time to sacrifice his life for his lord.
Samurai lived, trained to fight and fought to live. Only alive could a samurai fulfill his Duty and protect his lord. Duty beyond all things was the soul of a true samurai. Living to fulfill Duty was why a samurai forewent ambition, abstained from lust, and sacrificed his personal morals.
The ignorant and the stupid were two kinds of fools. The first put his hand into the fire because he did not know it would burn him. Once he was burned, he would never do it again. A stupid man would keep putting his hand into the fire, because he would not learn.
A leader would teach his men what they must know, because a student was blameless for his ignorance, he only did what his teacher told him.
A general who led with perception and intelligence need not be a master of tactics or strategy. With perception, a leader would find those who understand such things, and directed them to their proper duty. With intelligence, a general would know not to get in their way.
An army was made of the Five Measures:
Measure of Wind: An army began with its general, the true and virtuous, who would lead from the light, quickly, because he never needed to look back.
The Measure of Earth: When a leader understood the ground upon which he fought, the advantage was his.
The Measure of Fire: A general must lead his army under the Imperial Law. When he did so, he gave a soul of fire, for it knew its actions were just. When you did not, he suffocated the fire and robbed the fuel from the flame.
The Measure of Emptyness: Lastly, there was Heaven, so understanding the passage of the stars was the final understanding. There was no explaining the Measure of Emptiness, only recognizing its virtue when it manifested. In nothing, there was everything.
Charging one's army into battle without foreknowledge of an opponent's capabilities and weaknesses brought no glory and branded its leader as a coward. Blind death was swift death. When facing the enemy, a leader lets him see what he wanted him to see.
Entice Him With Falsehoods
When an enemy is entrenched and secure, he must be lured from his nest. Take him from his sanctuary and take him at the proper time.
Strike Hard and Quick
When an enemy is more powerful than one, a leader must strike quick and hard, and retreat. Commanders without courage or confidence did not know how to retaliate against this. Those who understood what was happening, knew that their strength had been turned into weakness.
Hammer and Anvil
When a man had time to think, he could make plans, otherwise he could only make mistakes when reacting. A leader used cavalry and speed to harass the enemy, giving him no rest, and rotated his legions.
Chances
When a leader were faced with desperate odds, never relied upon one chance, but a thousand. If he only trusted all of his strength to one blow, a single error could destroy all of hos chances.
Ambition and Virtue
A man of virtue never worried about his position; he concerned himself solely with virtue.
Nurture the Strong
When an enemy was stronger a general would nurture him. Then, when he faltered, the general might attack at his leisure. A general who made his enemy doubt what he foughts for had already won.
Fixed formations did not allow an army to adapt and change, and those two were the key to victory.
A leader never chastised his followers in front of others who followed him. If men began to speak ill of his leader the seed of doubt would bring defeat.
Showing the errors of others taught the men confidence in themselves. Showing them their own errors taught them doubt.
When an enemy was strong, a leader avoids him. He fought him when he was not ready. When the enemy had advantageous ground, a leader would goad him into attacking, appealing to his anger. When the enemy had virtue, a leader spread dissent among those who followed him, because if they doubted his virtue, they would not risk their lives for him.
Quick like the wind was how a leader should strike. By giving the enemy no time to think, he would make mistakes, making it easier to crush him. A protracted war depleted own resources, starved own farmers and weighed heavy on the souls of those who serve the leader.
Never requisition more food than you need, it would be less food the men needed to carry. Rewarding men by sacking the supply lines of the enemy, a leader showed them how cunning they were and how stupid their foe was.
Sparing an enemy was always better than destroying him, for showing him mercy only raised his opinion of a leader in his own eyes. If a leader could not defeat his enemy through nonviolent means, the leader would defeat him with allies. An enemy outnumbered and surrounded by an army of allies would capitulate.
If the leader's army was greater than his enemy, the leader surrounded him. If twice of size, a leader would divide the forces and outflank him. If equal, a leader would find his weaknesses to exploit them. If lesser, a leader would outmaneuver him.
In the year 55 Akodo presented the Emperor Hantei Genji and the Lion Clan with Leadership. Bayushi noted that a canny general would either never reveal such hard-won wisdom, or share only lesser insights with outsiders, but Akodo did not reply.
During the reign of Hantei Muhaki some portions were condemned by the Emperor himself. Influenced by his sensei Kakita Kuga. The Emperor declared heretical those parts which supported deception in warfare.
Structure
The first half was written by Akodo in the final years of the Kami's life, drawing on his experiences in the First War. The second half of the book was left deliberately unwritten, so his successors would be able to add their own experiences to the book.
Copies
The Ikoma were said to have the only complete, unedited version of Akodo's Leadership, as it had been changed through history to suit each Emperor's views on warfare. The original was the possession of the Lion Clan Champion, and the massive volume begun by the Kami Akodo was appended by every Lion Champion since.
The Importance of Warfare
War is inevitable, and in such times a daimyo would call upon his men. A samurai would serve and command, but before that, a samurai must prepare and study. Victory was not taking the lives of the enemy, but saving the lives of ones kin. Those who would falter first would be the first to fall, that the price of defeat was greater than honor or pride. Learning to win was not enough, it was necessary to learn how not to lose.
Those who said warfare was selfish, or who studied it seeking only to increase their own glory and position were fools and would lead Rokugan to doom. Nothing is more important than the art of warfare, for it protects all other art. Generals who did not study warfare would become uncertain and hesitated on the battlefield, causing an army to fail.
Duty
Duty was the samurai's soul, neglecting his duty a samurai would scar his soul. Fulfilling Duty was all or nothing, black or white, there were no grays. This was what it meant to be a samurai.
A Samurai's Purpose
A samurai kept in mind and heart the understanding that he must die. Surrendering to ambition, lust, greed, or any other thing, a samurai would hesitate for that one crucial moment when it came time to sacrifice his life for his lord.
Samurai lived, trained to fight and fought to live. Only alive could a samurai fulfill his Duty and protect his lord. Duty beyond all things was the soul of a true samurai. Living to fulfill Duty was why a samurai forewent ambition, abstained from lust, and sacrificed his personal morals.
Ignorance and Stupidity
The ignorant and the stupid were two kinds of fools. The first put his hand into the fire because he did not know it would burn him. Once he was burned, he would never do it again. A stupid man would keep putting his hand into the fire, because he would not learn.
A leader would teach his men what they must know, because a student was blameless for his ignorance, he only did what his teacher told him.
The General
A general who led with perception and intelligence need not be a master of tactics or strategy. With perception, a leader would find those who understand such things, and directed them to their proper duty. With intelligence, a general would know not to get in their way.
The Five Measures
An army was made of the Five Measures:
Measure of Wind: An army began with its general, the true and virtuous, who would lead from the light, quickly, because he never needed to look back.
The Measure of Earth: When a leader understood the ground upon which he fought, the advantage was his.
The Measure of Fire: A general must lead his army under the Imperial Law. When he did so, he gave a soul of fire, for it knew its actions were just. When you did not, he suffocated the fire and robbed the fuel from the flame.
The Measure of Emptyness: Lastly, there was Heaven, so understanding the passage of the stars was the final understanding. There was no explaining the Measure of Emptiness, only recognizing its virtue when it manifested. In nothing, there was everything.
The Way of Deception
Charging one's army into battle without foreknowledge of an opponent's capabilities and weaknesses brought no glory and branded its leader as a coward. Blind death was swift death. When facing the enemy, a leader lets him see what he wanted him to see.
Entice Him With Falsehoods
When an enemy is entrenched and secure, he must be lured from his nest. Take him from his sanctuary and take him at the proper time.
Strike Hard and Quick
When an enemy is more powerful than one, a leader must strike quick and hard, and retreat. Commanders without courage or confidence did not know how to retaliate against this. Those who understood what was happening, knew that their strength had been turned into weakness.
Hammer and Anvil
When a man had time to think, he could make plans, otherwise he could only make mistakes when reacting. A leader used cavalry and speed to harass the enemy, giving him no rest, and rotated his legions.
Chances
When a leader were faced with desperate odds, never relied upon one chance, but a thousand. If he only trusted all of his strength to one blow, a single error could destroy all of hos chances.
Ambition and Virtue
A man of virtue never worried about his position; he concerned himself solely with virtue.
Nurture the Strong
When an enemy was stronger a general would nurture him. Then, when he faltered, the general might attack at his leisure. A general who made his enemy doubt what he foughts for had already won.
Fixed Formations
Fixed formations did not allow an army to adapt and change, and those two were the key to victory.
Chastising Those Who Follow
A leader never chastised his followers in front of others who followed him. If men began to speak ill of his leader the seed of doubt would bring defeat.
Your Enemy's Errors
Showing the errors of others taught the men confidence in themselves. Showing them their own errors taught them doubt.
The Enemy
When an enemy was strong, a leader avoids him. He fought him when he was not ready. When the enemy had advantageous ground, a leader would goad him into attacking, appealing to his anger. When the enemy had virtue, a leader spread dissent among those who followed him, because if they doubted his virtue, they would not risk their lives for him.
Quick Like the Wind
Quick like the wind was how a leader should strike. By giving the enemy no time to think, he would make mistakes, making it easier to crush him. A protracted war depleted own resources, starved own farmers and weighed heavy on the souls of those who serve the leader.
My Enemy's Food
Never requisition more food than you need, it would be less food the men needed to carry. Rewarding men by sacking the supply lines of the enemy, a leader showed them how cunning they were and how stupid their foe was.
Victory Without Conflict
Sparing an enemy was always better than destroying him, for showing him mercy only raised his opinion of a leader in his own eyes. If a leader could not defeat his enemy through nonviolent means, the leader would defeat him with allies. An enemy outnumbered and surrounded by an army of allies would capitulate.
Two Armies
If the leader's army was greater than his enemy, the leader surrounded him. If twice of size, a leader would divide the forces and outflank him. If equal, a leader would find his weaknesses to exploit them. If lesser, a leader would outmaneuver him.
The Ten Orders
- A leader always carried a text with him. The mind must be exercised as well as the body.
- When a lord called his samurai, he ran, fall at his feet and spoke his name loudly and proudly.
- Keep one's sword close and ready and clean.
- Keep servants only if necessary.
- Lady Sun and Lord Moon made a samurai with a left hand and a right hand. In the left hand went the text and in the right hand went the sword.
- When a samurai came before a superior, he dropped hands at his sides, and bowed lower than they, showing trust.
- Men followed the example of those they admired.
- A samurai went to bed early, then, at midnight he would be fresh, rested and ready for any foe who creeped in late hours.
- Be clean, because a dirty man must itch and scratch, and an itching and scratching man was slow.
- Be Ready to die
History
Presented to the Emperor
In the year 55 Akodo presented the Emperor Hantei Genji and the Lion Clan with Leadership. Bayushi noted that a canny general would either never reveal such hard-won wisdom, or share only lesser insights with outsiders, but Akodo did not reply.
Partially censured
During the reign of Hantei Muhaki some portions were condemned by the Emperor himself. Influenced by his sensei Kakita Kuga. The Emperor declared heretical those parts which supported deception in warfare.
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