During the Eastern Zhou and Western Zhou conflict, Han dispatched troops to aid Western Zhou. Someone advised the King of Han on behalf of Eastern Zhou, saying: "Western Zhou is the former capital of the Son of Heaven, replete with renowned artifacts and precious treasures. If you hold your forces and refrain from sending aid to Western Zhou, you may both bestow favor upon Eastern Zhou, and Western Zhou's treasures will surely all fall into Han's hands." The King of Han said, "Well said." Thus he held his troops, and indeed, Western Zhou's treasures were all acquired by Han.
💡 商战启示录
This strategy reveals the wisdom of "watching from the other shore while fires rage" and "the fisherman who profits from the struggle" in commercial warfare. The King of Han initially intended to rescue Western Zhou, but the envoy from Eastern Zhou pointed out: if troops were dispatched, Western Zhou would be saved, Eastern Zhou would suffer losses, and Han would gain only a nominal moral victory; if Han remained inactive, Western Zhou would surely fall, its treasures would all pass to Han, and Eastern Zhou, out of gratitude, would draw closer to Han. This parallels the "co-opetition game" in modern business: when two competitors clash, a third-party enterprise need not rush to intervene but should assess the path that maximizes its own interests. For example, in the early ride-hailing market, during the subsidy war between Didi and Kuaidi, Tencent and Alibaba, as the capital behind them, did not directly interfere but watched both sides exhaust themselves, ultimately facilitating the merger and absorbing both parties' resources and market share. Similarly, in the chip industry, when Qualcomm and MediaTek were locked in fierce competition, TSMC, as the foundry, remained impartial and instead accepted orders from both, emerging as the greatest winner. The essence of this strategy lies in not directly engaging in conflict but leveraging the inevitable outcomes of conflict to obtain maximum benefit at minimal cost, while maintaining balanced relations with all parties and avoiding making enemies. Modern managers should learn to maintain strategic composure amid industry disputes, recognize the opportune moments for "remaining inactive," and let stillness govern motion, reaping the rewards as the fisherman does.