By Andreano Ng, Independent Consultant 

At the early stage of my career, my mentor handed me a copy of The Art of War and said: "Learn the strategies—and learn how to apply them."

Back then, it felt cryptic. Now, it feels prophetic.

In my career journey—spanning high-stakes negotiations, crisis management, and strategic turnarounds—I’ve come to appreciate just how timeless and practical Sun Tzu’s teachings truly are. I’ve solved problems, turned tides, and achieved hard-won results by internalizing those lessons. It wasn’t always glamorous, but it was always effective.

Yet here's what intrigues me:

I’ve met countless peers, business associates, and executives who quote Sun Tzu fluently. They've joined workshops, flaunted the book on their shelves, and dropped phrases like “Know thy enemy” with polished ease. But when adversity strikes—when the battlefield is real—they forget the playbook. The art vanishes. Strategy collapses.

So, what went wrong?

Many treat The Art of War as a trend or intellectual badge. Few treat it as an operating system. Fewer still embrace it with discipline and emotional sobriety when it matters most.

Let’s be blunt:

• Strategy isn't memorization—it's embodiment.

• Leadership isn't about quoting ancient wisdom—it's about showing up when chaos hits.

• Reading the book doesn't change you. Living it does.

“The general who wins makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought.” – Sun Tzu

I believe this timeless principle holds even more weight for Malaysian SMEs today. It’s not just about planning—it's about preparing to respond, adapt, and prevail. We need less performance, more precision.

To those attending the latest Art of War seminar or revisiting the book:

Don’t just read it. Apply it. Reflect it. Live it.

That’s where true mastery begins.

P.S. I’ve always loved History—back in school and still today. Maybe it’s because history isn’t just about memorizing events; it’s about understanding why they happened, what could have been prevented, and what lessons still echo forward. That analytical instinct has likely shaped how I absorbed and applied Sun Tzu’s teachings—not as abstract philosophy, but as real-world strategy.