In business you have to be flexible — meet each challenge as it appears.
Tips
history
Earliest recorded in the Yuan-dynasty zaju play 大战邳彤: '主公，便好这兵来将挡，水来土掩' (Lord, this is exactly the principle of countering troops with generals and floods with earth). Later quoted in 金瓶梅 chapter 48, cementing it as a colloquial idiom.
usage
Used to reassure someone or to assert calm pragmatism in the face of unspecified trouble. Often shortened to just 兵来将挡 in casual speech. The closest English equivalent is 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it' — but with more confidence and less procrastination.
