Draws on some of history's most effective military tactics and the examples of such figures as Napoleon, Margaret Thatcher, and Ulysses S. Grant to outline psychological strategies for effective negotiating, responding to dangerous situations, and managing life milestones.

"A Joost Elffers production." "First published in the United States of America by Viking Penguin ... 2006"--Title page verso.

Part ISelf-Directed Warfare -- 1 Declare War on Your Enemies: The Polarity Strategy -- 3 -- 2 Do Not Fight the Last War: The Guerrilla-War-of-the-Mind Strategy -- 15 -- 3 Amidst the Turmoil of Events, Do not Lose Your Presence of Mind: The Counterbalance Strategy -- 27 -- 4 Create a Sense of Urgency and Desperation: The Death-Ground Strategy -- 41 -- Part II Organizational (Team) Warfare -- 5 Avoid the Snares of Groupthink: The Command-and-Control Strategy -- 55 -- 6 Segment Your Forces: The Controlled-Chaos Strategy -- 69 -- 7 Transform Your War into a Crusade: Morale Strategies -- 79 -- Part III Defensive Warfare -- 8 Pick Your Battles Carefully: The Perfect-Economy Strategy -- 97 -- 9 Turn the Tables: The Counterattack Strategy -- 109 -- 10 Create a Threatening Presence: Deterrence Strategies -- 123 -- 11 Trade Space for Time: The Nonengagement Strategy -- 137 -- Part IV Offensive Warfare -- 12 Lose Battles but Win the War: Grand Strategy -- 147 -- 13 Know Your Enemy: The Intelligence Strategy -- 165 -- 14 Overwhelm Resistance with Speed and Suddenness: The Blitzkrieg Strategy -- 179 -- 15 Control the Dynamic: Forcing Strategies -- 187 -- 16 Hit Them Where it Hurts: The Center-of-Gravity Strategy -- 203 -- 17 Defeat Them in Detail: The Divide-and-Conquer Strategy -- 213 -- 18 Expose and Attack Your Opponent's Soft Flank: The Turning Strategy -- 229 -- 19 Envelop the Enemy: The Annihilation Strategy -- 243 -- 20 Maneuver Them into Weakness: The Ripening-for-the-Sickle Strategy -- 253 -- 21 Negotiate While Advancing: The Diplomatic-War Strategy -- 271 -- 22 Know How to End Things: The Exit Strategy -- 283 -- Part V Unconventional (Dirty) Warfare -- 23 Weave a Seamless Blend of Fact and Fiction: Misperception Strategies -- 299 -- 24 Take the Line of Least Expectation: The Ordinary-Extraordinary Strategy -- 313 -- 25 Occupy the Moral High Ground: The Righteous Strategy -- 331 -- 26 Deny Them Targets: The Strategy of the Void -- 343 -- 27 Seem to Work for the Interests of Others While Furthering Your Own: The Alliance Strategy -- 355 -- 28 Give Your Rivals Enough Rope to Hang Themselves: The One-Upmanship Strategy -- 369 -- 29 Take Small Bites: The Fait Accompli Strategy -- 383 -- 30 Penetrate Their Minds: Communication Strategies -- 393 -- 31 Destroy from Within: The Inner-Front Strategy -- 407 -- 32 Dominate While Seeming to Submit: The Passive-Aggression Strategy -- 419 -- 33 Sow Uncertainty and Panic Through Acts of Terror: The Chain-Reaction Strategy -- 435.