#12 Mastering the Art of Positive Deception: Lessons from Sun Tzu to Modern Leadership

Although deception is not totally bad but also has its positive application, it is still generally a taboo subject.

In 2011 when “suntzunizing” the executives and associates of Straits Consultancy Services in Balikpapan, Indonesia, I noticed their Chief Operating Officer, David Lim was visibly uncomfortable with my call to use deception at times.

He relaxed after I clarified that knowledge of evil doesn’t mean we have to do evil; the knowledge actually keeps us from evil. Since deception may at times be necessary, let us who understand its evil foundation, use it for good, not evil. For example, if someone cooks an unsavory meal for us, we should not criticize the cook’s efforts but say something positive like, “The tastes will be perfect with less salt and adding some mint leaves.”

Since everyone uses deception at times, let us not be hypocritical about it. Instead, I advocate using it positively. It is not unethical to use deception so long as it is for good, not to cheat or harm others. If we are able to differentiate right from wrong, we can use deception in a positive way.

Using deception to keep the peace

When dealing with people, we may have to wear or even change masks.

In 1988, as General Manager of Metroplex Holdings managing then Malaysia’s best shopping complex, The Mall, I faced a wrathful major tenant. He was visibly enraged by the receptionist for rudely keeping him waiting for 10 minutes outside my office. He wanted “blood” or he would abort our just-agreed negotiation for him to take up a second shop-lot.

My mind raced to take stock of the situation:

1. This tenant was known to be pompous and it would take a most patient person to tolerate his bullying ways.

2. I had found the receptionist to be courteous.

3. As the tenant rarely visited his shop which was run by his manager, the receptionist probably did not know him.

4. She hadn’t let him in as my secretary was away and I was on the phone.

5. I really needed the tenant to sign the agreement on my desk.

Seeing how angry he was and realizing he would be in no mood for any reasoning, I immediately buzzed the Administrator and growled: “I heard the receptionist has been rude to our best customer. This sort of behavior shouldn’t be allowed. Send someone to relieve her so that you can get her to your room for disciplinary action.”

After the placated tenant signed the papers and left, I hurried to the Administrator’s room. Wearing my grim-faced mask, I asked what happened.

I heard out the receptionist and smiled, “Okay, I believe you. That man can be quite demanding. As he’s still our customer, you must try your best to be patient. It’s really not easy to be a receptionist, right?”

The Administrator and the girl were visibly relieved by my words. Unknown to them, everything was a deception: I had no intention of punishing the receptionist. My action was calculated to appease the tenant and get the girl quickly out of his way out lest he gloat and taunt her, causing another confrontation. A business deal was also successfully concluded.

Avoid negative deception at all cost

As negative deception is intended to harm or take unfair advantage of others, it is morally wrong. It must be avoided because it tarnishes our reputation and often backfires. People may be fooled once or even a few times but they will eventually wise up to avoid being deceived again. In the first 100 days of his second term as US President, Donald Trump should realize he has sabotaged his own reputation.