The Strategy of Beautiful Women

Strategy 31

Send your enemy beautiful women to cause discord within his camp. This strategy can work on three levels. First, the ruler becomes so enamored with the beauty that he neglects his duties and allows his vigilance to wane. Second, other males at court will begin to display aggressive behavior that inflames minor differences hindering co-operation and destroying morale. Third, other females at court, motivated by jealousy and envy, begin to plot intrigues further exasperating the situation.


Modern Example

This happened at a company where I used to work. The CEO of the company was having an affair with a senior executive. He did not execute his company's strategy well in the market because he was more preoccupied with his girlfriend. Her department had no credibility with the other departments either because everyone knew of the relationship. Furthermore, in several other departments, executives were pursuing affairs with each other too! Sales declined because the sales staff, predominantly female, stayed close to the office instead of traveling to prospective clients' offices and closing deals. Political considerations overrode financial ones until the company was seriously in trouble.