“Read Sun Tzu, The Art Of War,” corporate raider Gordon Gekko commands his protégé Bud Fox in the 1987 film Wall Street. “‘Every battle is won before it is ever fought.’”

As Mr John Vincent, the co-founder of healthy fast-food chain Leon, rightly points out in his new book, Winning Not Fighting: Why You Need To Rethink Success And How You Achieve It With The Ancient Art Of Wing Tsun, business is not war. So, just how applicable is a military treatise written by a Chinese general around the 5th century BC? Are orders to “divide and conquer” the competition, “smash” targets and “target” customers all that helpful?

In fact, argues Mr Vincent, it’s actively damaging: war, actual or metaphorical, leads to destruction, suffering, casualties – for losers and victors. Instead, he proposes an alternative model for business: the ancient Chinese martial art of Wing Tsun or Wing Chun Kung Fu made famous by Mr Bruce Lee (before he invented his own discipline, Jeet Kune Do) and the Ip Man series of movies based on his master and their relationship.

Business is not a martial art either, of course – but then Wing Tsun is not a metaphor. Rather, it’s a “philosophical approach to life developed over many centuries”, according to Mr Vincent’s co-author and teacher Sifu (“Master”) Julian Hitch. Wing Tsun combines elements of the Eastern traditions of Taoism, Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism and Zen: “But only Wing Tsun translates these wisdoms into practical actions,” he writes. In other words, the principles underpinning the punches and kicks are much more far-reaching.

Unusually old and female-influenced among martial arts, Wing Tsun, which was devised in the 17th century by Shaolin monks and nuns who trained for both self-defence and enlightenment, is not all that warlike. “It teaches us how not to create conflict by putting aside fear and ego, and how to carry ourselves with calmness and confidence, safe in the knowledge that – if conflict truly cannot be avoided – we will prevail,” writes Mr Vincent.

Fighting, real or figurative, causes stress, saps resources and diverts attention; it’s diametrically opposed to winning. Thankfully, you don’t even need to train in Wing Tsun, much less be a master, to acquire some of its wisdoms – as the quick wins below demonstrate.

The Wing Tsun stance is face to face, not head covered or body turned sideways. Reflecting confidence and allowing you to quickly move 360 degrees, this alone can deter a potential attacker, who’s forced to enter your range and thus set themselves up for your counterattack. This is only possible with knowledge of your skills; by facing your fear of attack, you remove the need for it. Wing Tsun’s “mirror principle” holds that your interactions reflect your internal state; if you feel defensive or unsafe, you won’t respond appropriately to a “threat”, which may just be your projection. Mr Vincent advocates the Enneagram personality test, which among other things tells you if you’re influenced by fear, anger or shame.

Just as you can throw a ball further with a loose arm, the force of Wing Tsun’s legendary “iron fist” emanates from your shoulder in a downward strike with the top two knuckles of your vertical fist, which protects your hand more than an orthodox boxing punch and is harder to anticipate. By staying physically relaxed, you can instantly end a fight – but by staying mentally relaxed, you can avoid one altogether, and make better decisions generally. “A sense of grievance is replaced by understanding the other person’s tension,” writes Sifu Hitch. “You don’t have to make another person’s bad day become your own.” Wing Tsun incorporates various breathing exercises, but meditation, or just one or more deep breaths, will help.

Try to block an attack from someone bigger and stronger and you’ll soon see the drawback of force. In Wing Tsun, wu wei or “non-action” redirects their energy harmlessly outside your body with a small movement that requires no strength. You can also harness their mechanics for a counterattack, creating a “revolving door effect”: the more they push, the harder the door hits them. (Karma’s a bitch, after all.) In business and life, you get more out of people when they’re happy and motivated; forcing drains energy and is unsustainable for them and you. Try where possible to synch work and exercise to your natural rhythms; stop “grinding” to a halt on a problem and step away from your desk for a walk, or shower, so ideas can flow.