故兵有走者有弛者有陷者有崩者有亂者有北者凡此六者非天之災將之過也
Sun Tzu
The success or failure of an army in battle can often be attributed to the actions and decisions of the army’s general. Sun Tzu lists six specific failures that can be blamed on the general, including flight (desertion), insubordination (disobedience), collapse (surrender), ruin (defeat), disorganization (chaos), and rout (complete destruction). Essentially, Sun Tzu is saying that the general must take responsibility for the successes and failures of their army, as they have the power to prevent or cause these calamities.
Now a team is exposed to six potential disasters, not arising from external factors, but from flaws for which the leader is responsible. These are: employee turnover; insubordination; collapse; ruin; disorganization; and meltdown.
A team can face six potential disasters that are caused by the leader’s mistakes or failures rather than external factors. These potential disasters include employee turnover, insubordination, collapse, ruin, disorganization, and meltdown. The success or failure of a team can often be traced back to the actions or decisions of its leader.