Ch 6 of Art of War: Real and Masked

故善战者，致人而不致于人

This famous quote is from Sun Tzu's The Art of War chapter 6, and it translates to:

"Thus, those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle, and are not brought there by him."

In a modern business context, this is a fundamental principle of strategic initiative and competitive advantage. It means that successful companies proactively shape the market and force competitors to react to their moves, rather than constantly being on the defensive and reacting to competitors' actions.

Here is a breakdown of what it means to "致人" (bring the enemy to you/control others) and not be "致于人" (be brought to the enemy/be controlled by others) in business:

What it means to "致人" (To Control the Situation / Be the Disruptor):

This is about being proactive and setting the agenda. You force others to play by your rules.

Innovate, Don't Imitate: You launch groundbreaking products (e.g., SH Lingzhi cookies, CEO Cafe, CEO Pushcarts etc). You define new categories, and competitors scramble to catch up.
Control the Narrative: You use marketing and public relations to shape customer perception and define the standards in your industry. You are the thought leader that everyone else quotes. (eg SH is the leader in Lingzhi, a food product, not health supplement)
Set the Competitive Framework: You compete on a dimension where you hold the advantage. For example, we have the Lingzhi office that opens 7 days a week, free talk every day 3 to 6 pm, free TCM diganostic etc)
Anticipate Market Shifts: You see trends early and pivot your business model to lead the change, putting slower-moving rivals at a disadvantage. Eg people don't want to be tied down with monthly maintenance.

What it means to being "致于人" (Be Controlled / Be the Follower):

This is the dangerous passive state where you are constantly responding and are vulnerable to competitors' strategies.

Always Playing Catch-Up: You are in a reactive mode, launching "me-too" products only after a competitor has already captured market share. CEO Coffee is a market leader in the Lingzhi coffee market.
Being Price-Driven: You are forced into price wars because you cannot differentiate your product or service in any other way, severely damaging your profitability. CEO Coffee is priced competitively
Losing Talent: Your best people are constantly being poached by competitors who offer a more compelling vision, better culture, or higher pay. You are reacting to their HR strategies.
Following Industry Trends: Instead of setting trends, you are always trying to adapt to them, often too late and at a higher cost.

How to Apply This Principle in Shuang Hor Business

Know Your Customer: Deeply understand their unmet needs so you can serve them in ways competitors haven't imagined. People need to earn extra every month without investing)
Know Your Competition: Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and likely moves. This allows you to anticipate and counter them effectively. Other Network Marketing companies have compensation plans that 'eat-up' distributors' commissions)
Play to Your Strengths: Structure your strategy around what you do uniquely well. Don't let competitors force you to fight on their terms. Our Lingzhi Centre headed by Dr Lim and Jimmy Peh is the strongest strength in the market.
Be Agile: The ability to make decisions and pivot quickly is a key advantage in seizing the initiative.
Think Long-Term: Focus on building lasting strategic advantages (brand loyalty, patents, supply chain control) rather than just winning short-term battles.

In essence, "致人而不致于人" is about maintaining strategic control. It's the difference between being the disruptor and the disrupted, the leader and the follower, the one who defines the game and the one who struggles to keep playing.

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