Ancient Chinese wisdoms in a rapidly changing business world - my favorites

Having worked with #China for about twenty years and lived there some of them, I still have the pleasure of operating in one of the largest, most dynamic and complex #business environments globally. How many times, when building teams, #expanding organizations, #launching products, entering new markets, it felt like going into uncharted waters for all of us – the terms “hyper-growth” and “hyper-competition” were being used.?

My Chinese colleagues (who later became close friends) shared here and there some antique Chinese #wisdom as formulated in the famous #stratagems. Here are my favorite ones, which provide another perspective, where #leadership requires more than just conventional management skills as taught in business schools. Strategic thinking, planning, and the ability to react effectively to various situations are key. (of course in reality nobody gets captured, killed or hurt, no houses are burning, there is no looting, and no weapons are involved???)

• The deceptive strategy (瞒天过海): A successful business leader might not reveal his or her full strategy upfront, adopting a humble or unassuming demeanor to keep competitors at bay.
• “Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao” (围魏救赵): This might translate into a focus on an indirect objective that could either weaken a competitor or strengthen one’s own position.
• “Kill with a borrowed knife” (借刀杀人): Business leaders can form strategic partnerships or leverage third-party resources to gain an advantage over competitors, avoiding direct confrontation.
• “Leisurely await the tired enemy” (以逸待劳): Patiently waiting for competitors to exhaust their resources or lose momentum on initiatives, then capitalizing on their vulnerabilities.
• “Loot a burning house” (趁火打劫): During a competitor’s crisis or difficult times, an opportunity may arise to acquire valuable assets, talent, or market share.
• “Make a feint to the East while attacking in the West” (声东击西): Misdirecting competitors with publicized initiatives while the real strategic focus lies elsewhere.
• “Create something from nothing” (无中生有): Great leaders create value and opportunity where none seems to exist, often by innovating or restructuring.
• Chain stratagems (连环计): Success in business often involves executing multiple strategies simultaneously or sequentially, each building on the success of the previous one.
• “Replace the beams with rotten timbers” (偷梁换柱): In a business context, this could translate to subtle disruptions, like adopting new technologies to displace established ones.
• “Point at the mulberry but curse the locust” (指桑骂槐): Critiquing a common industry practice can indirectly challenge competitors and influence market trends.
• “Remove the firewood from under the pot” (釜底抽薪): Identifying and attacking the key sources of a competitor’s strength.
• “Disturb the water and catch a fish” (扰乱水中捞鱼): Leaders can introduce a bit of chaos to drive change and innovation, disrupting complacency and fostering creative thinking.
• “Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor” (远交近攻): Forming strategic alliances can create a stronger front against a common competitor.
• “Tossing out a brick to get a Jade gem” (抛砖引玉): Making small sacrifices to gain something of greater value in the long run.
• “Defeat the enemy by capturing their chief” (擒贼擒王): In a business context, this can mean hiring away top talent from competitors, significantly impacting their operations while boosting your own.
• “Watch the fire burning across the river” (隔岸观火): This refers to waiting for competitors to fight amongst themselves and weaken, then capitalizing on the opportunity.

These and other ancient stratagems offer a rich tapestry of tactics that can be skillfully (and ethically!!) woven into the fabric of modern business leadership - globally so.

When pushing the limits and things don’t turn out well, there is another saying I’ve heard a few times: 朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳:?(yī?zhāo?bèi?shé?yǎo,?shí?nián?pà?jǐng?shéng) or,”once bitten by a snake, you shall be afraid of a rope for ten years”, to which we simply say “don’t make the same mistake twice”???