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...
by Andy Ng at www.asiatrainers.com (Sales & Management Training) Tel: 65-93672286 Email: andythecoach@gmail.com