# Only tell them to do what they want to do

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Analogy
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-chinese-art-of-war-tell-them-what-they-want
- Themes: leadership, motivation, teaching
- Life situations: managing people, parenting

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

From the Chinese Art of War: a general whose soldiers never disobey — because he only ever tells them to do what they want to do. Motivation and inspiration come first; then orders are already their wish.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

I read that uh years before in a book called the Chinese art of war. You ask what's a Buddhist monk doing reading a book called the Chinese art of war because they had lots and lots of very wise sayings in there. It was not just about you know violence. One of the generals in the Chinese army had perfect discipline and the emperor wanted to find out why. And how come everyone follows your instructions? Now any one of you in a management position in your life, please remember this is how to have good management skills. He said, "All my soldiers always follow my orders because I only ever tell them to do what they want to do. That's why they never disobey an order. Only tell them to do what they want to do." Of course, that doesn't make sense. How can you tell people to get up early in the morning? How do you tell people to go out and train really hard? How do you tell your soldiers to go into battle even though many of them will get injured or even killed? How can you get them to follow orders like that? And he said because he's already motivated them, inspired them. So even before the bell goes off in the morning, they're raring waiting to get get up and do something good. There's that motivation. Give them a reason for doing what they're doing. And if you give them that reason, of course, they will do what they want. They'll get up earlier than you expect. They'll train even harder. They'll go in there. I don't know why how you can convince them to give their lives, but many people do that

## Teaching point

Lead by giving people a reason — then they follow before you ask.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

An ancient Chinese general, the story goes, was never disobeyed, because he only ordered soldiers to do what they wanted to do. The secret was motivation. Ajahn Brahm doesn't order his monks out of bed; he inspires them with the beauty of early meditation. Give people a reason. Then they'll want to do it.

## Source

- [Supernatural and Inspirational Stories About Monks | Ajahn Brahm | 2 February 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vzxQPkP4kg) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 41:25 to 43:33: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vzxQPkP4kg&t=2485s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Leadership | Ajahn Brahm | 01-04-2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-UAe9wsePw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 13:39 to 14:41: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-UAe9wsePw&t=819s
- [Generosity and Kindness | Ajahn Brahm | 13 January 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVzsAkIQi1Q) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 51:51 to 52:23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVzsAkIQi1Q&t=3111s