Sun Tzu vs Machiavelli: What Actually Divides Them

Sun Tzu and Machiavelli are the most-quoted strategic authorities in business, but they fundamentally disagree on what strategy even is. This episode pulls apart their actual philosophies — from deception and cruelty to victory and survival — and shows why the lazy mashup produces genuinely bad decisions in boardrooms, startups, and even AI strategy. If you've ever heard "we need to be more Sun Tzu about this" or "time to get Machiavellian," this episode will change how you think about both.