“The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence, under no circumstances can it be neglected.” –Sun Tzu, The Art of War
The way in which one views academic advising is a matter of perception. The jury is still deliberating about what academic advising is and the role it should play in colleges and universities. Burns Crookston (1972) views academic advising as a rational process that makes use of environmental and interpersonal interactions, behavioral awareness and problem-solving, and decision-making and evaluation skills. Goodlad (1997) views academic advising as a moral endeavor and as a complex and puzzling form of teaching that centers on helping students achieve their own goals and interests. Creamer (2000) holds that “academic advising is an educational activity that depends on valid explanations of complex student behaviors and institutional conditions to assist college students in making and executing educational and life plans” (p. 18). The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Task Force on Professional Development (2002) described it as a collaborative process for assisting and empowering students in making informed educational, career, and life decisions. The definition one selects is a matter of choice. In my opinion, academic advising is a matter of strategy whereby students gain academic, career, and personal experiences that can be used throughout their lifetimes. Academic advising is a partnership in which both students and advisers learn and grow from their experiences together.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu (6th century B.C.E./1983) is a book about strategy for both aspiring and seasoned leaders. Sun Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, wrote The Art of War well over 2,500 years ago to assist in the planning and execution of military activities. Though it was originally written for the military, the book has been utilized in a wide variety of settings. The techniques therein are tools for almost any situation in any decade. It explores traits that all academic advisers should demonstrate: responsibility, integrity, flexibility, cunningness, resourcefulness, and momentum maintenance. These qualities go beyond the military experience and speak to basic principles of everyday living. For the purpose of this paper, academic advising will be viewed through Sun Tzu's lens in an effort to assist academic professionals to become better advisers by providing useable techniques as described in The Art of War.
The Guiding Principles
ccording to Sun Tzu (6th century B.C./1983), “the art of war is governed by five constant factors, all of which need to be taken into account. They are the Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, the Commander, and Method and Discipline” (p. 9). While The Art of War makes no direct mention of academic advising, these five factors can be easily applied to the practice of advising.
Moral Law results in people being “in complete accord with the ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger” (p. 9). Applied to academic advising, a student could follow the advice of an adviser to his or her success or detriment. Being in a position of influence, academic professionals are able to direct the course of students' academic and professional lives. Often, academic advisers fail to realize the magnitude of the power they hold. In their capacity, advisers are empowered to affect students' lives. Academic advising is a collaboration in which an adviser and student work together to point the student in the right direction. The onus for action, or lack of action, is therefore a shared responsibility. Moral Law addresses the direct link between an adviser and his/her advisees. It brings to the forefront issues of trust and loyalty. Advisers who fail to demonstrate trustworthiness or to provide a sense of loyalty rarely have meaningful interactions with their advisees.
Heaven, the second factor, signifies night and day, cold and heat, and times and seasons. Heaven is a matter of a paired contrast, just as advising is a matter of fit and suitability for both the adviser and the advisee. The adviser must be approachable and easy to relate to, and the advisee must feel that he or she has an advantage by working with that particular adviser. The adviser and the student must work together to promote student growth and development.
Earth is the third factor and is composed of distances, great and small; danger; security; open ground; narrow spaces; and the chances of life and death. Academic advisers hold the key that enables their students to unlock many doors. Each adviser has the ability to shape the components of Earth. Earth is analogous to situations that are unique and distinct to each student. An adviser can have two students that are facing the same obstacles, yet gaining two different results. Advisers counsel students on the tasks that lie ahead and the possible roads that they should follow (distance). A good academic adviser informs his or her students about the positive and negative outcomes of choices made (danger and security) and the opportunities or lack of opportunities that could result from those choices (open ground and narrow spaces). Choices made have a direct result upon a student's life.
An academic adviser serves as the Commander, which is the fourth factor. The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness. Who would not want to interact with a person who exhibits these traits? An academic adviser should not provide any type of advice, if he or she does not have the information. In order to do what is best for students (benevolence), advisers must be able to state their individual capabilities and limitations for each student situation they encounter. Being able to point students in the right direction, whether personally or via a referral, is a demonstration of wisdom. It should be realized that there are times when providing direction is insufficient. Sometimes, advisers must go out on a limb to assist and do what is right and in the best interest of their students, even when the action could be seen as intrusive or inappropriate.
The final factor that should be employed by academic advisers is Method and Discipline. These two components are one and should not be viewed independently. This factor entails marshaling the army and control of military expenditure. The key words to keep in mind with academic advising are marshaling, maintenance, and control. For academic advisers, this factor represents a strategic plan. Each student who walks into an adviser's office should have a tailor-made strategic plan designed to get him or her from one point on the academic continuum to another. Major aspects of this factor are knowing what the student has faced or is facing and then discussing and documenting what the student expects as outcomes.
Successful academic advisers understand Sun Tzu's five constant factors and are able to adapt and assist their students. Hence, these advisers, who often make use of strong leadership skills, are using the change mechanisms of demand and command. The demand mechanism is externally rooted to promote movement, while the command mechanism is internally rooted to affect change. Holding an authoritative position enables academic advisers to be catalysts that move students into action. Advisers present options to students for fulfilling their own personalized strategic plans. It is through these advising sessions, over a period of time, that the student begins to internalize the command state.
Academic advising is a position of power that should not be taken lightly. At colleges and universities, every student should be afforded the opportunity to interact frequently with his or her adviser. Strong academic advising leads to successful students, while weak academic advising does not. Making use of Sun Tzu's strategy would be beneficial to the student, academic adviser, and institution. Quality discourse and interaction enhances students' experiences and could determine whether a “war” is won or lost. While academic advising is a challenge with no one prescribed way to get results, application of the strategies mentioned will ultimately lead to positive outcomes. I would argue that Sun Tzu provides a prescriptive strategy to assist academic advisers with the tasks that are before them.