People tend to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. Wherever there are benefits, everyone is always looking at them. If someone monopolizes the benefits and does not share them with everyone, it will definitely lead to resentment, and even become the target of public criticism, causing future troubles. The result is what is commonly said as "single benefit leads to failure." Therefore, when faced with interests, a person must know how to weigh the trade-offs, take the share that he deserves, and sometimes even give up part of the benefits that he deserves in order to avoid future troubles.

In the early days, Zeng Guofan used morality to call on everyone to join him in resisting the Taiping Army. He believed that morality was enough to inspire others. All the people went to Hu Linyi, so he asked his staff Zhao Liewen: "Everyone has come out to me, how can I return them all to Hu Gong?" If you don’t leave, why wait?” (Everyone has selfish motives. If you don’t get an official position, you can’t make a fortune, so why wait?)

Zeng Guofan asked again: “What should I do?” What should we do? ) Zhao Liewen replied: "One can achieve one person's justice by gathering everyone's selfishness!" (Using everyone's selfishness to do things can achieve one's justice!)

Zeng Guofan nodded repeatedly, From then on, he vigorously rewarded his meritorious subordinates, especially after serving as the Imperial Envoy and the Governor of Liangjiang. He often used every opportunity to recommend his staff to become officials. As a result, Zeng Guofan's shogunate flourished and was filled with talents.

At the same time, Zeng Guofan established an effective incentive mechanism, focusing on the different needs of different people, and adopted the measure of "militaries give money, literati give names" to stimulate their enthusiasm. The result is naturally that everyone is happy and the military is unified. It laid the foundation for the ultimate achievement of pacifying the Taiping Army.

Sometimes some truly good people and gentlemen are not successful in doing things. It may be because their impeccable moral character and unscrupulous moral requirements often make them underestimate the most basic common sense. Ignore the instinctive motivations of ordinary people to participate in the cause, regard moral flaws as unforgivable faults, and regard the contributions and sacrifices of others as a matter of course within their responsibilities.

Individuals can pursue endless moral perfection, but when facing groups, they must tolerate the more mediocre motives of ordinary people. For most ordinary people, doing things is not to pursue ideals, but to make a living. After all, heroes also have wives and children, while ordinary people only worry about food, rice, oil and salt.

So although one must have good conduct as a person, one must be flexible in doing things. "People move for benefit", this is a basic human fact. Morality can appeal to a few people, but it may not win over most people; high moral character can make people respect it, but it may not make people obey it.

Han Xin said of Xiang Yu: "King Xiang is humble to his elders, kind to the weak, and considerate to the sick, but these are just the virtues of a woman. King Xiang is stingy with rewards for meritorious athletes, and treats brave ones Strong men are not promoted. Therefore, heroes will eventually leave him." Liu Bang asked Chen Ping: "What is the difference between me and King Xiang?" Chen Ping replied: "The king is arrogant and arrogant." The king is humble and polite." Liu Bang asked again: "Then why did you abandon King Xiang and join me?" Chen Ping replied: "The king does not hesitate to give gifts to those who have made merit, but King Xiang rarely rewards people."

Precisely because Xiang Yu was unwilling to share the world's interests with meritorious ministers, not many people were willing to follow him. In the end, it was an ending of "single profit leads to defeat", while Liu Bang shared his gains with his subordinates. , win the world.

Planning can only be done by the few but not by the many

When planning something, you must discuss it with a few people who have real knowledge and insights, rather than listening to general comments. As the ancients said, "Those who are extremely virtuous do not follow the customs, and those who achieve great success do not seek publicity." This is also similar to today's "expert consultation and argumentation for major decisions."

For individuals, when making important decisions in life, they cannot discuss it with everyone. Because some big decisions in life are related to one's own world view, one's own unique vision, mind, and tolerance. If one sees it correctly, just do it. If you discuss it with others, it may be difficult to be convinced by others. Other people's positions are different, benevolent people have different views, and wise people have different opinions. They may not understand your thoughts. On the contrary, they will talk all over the place, which will shake your will and destroy your confidence and emotions.

The premise of brainstorming is for valuable opinions, and there are often not many valuable opinions.

"Huainanzi·Human Lessons": "Nowadays, ten thousand people can adjust the clock to a law that cannot be compared. Only one person is enough to know it sincerely." The number of people involved in decision-making does not equal quality, and the accumulation of low-level wisdom cannot produce lofty goals. The wisdom of the people, as the saying goes, "Conspiracy will leak out."

Cao Cao said: "If you control it with Tao, you can do anything." A person with Tao, a person with true knowledge and insight, can completely "lonely boat and coir raincoat" , fishing alone in the cold river snow, "alone in spiritual communication with heaven and earth, and independent in his own way."

On the other hand, some plans should not be known to many people. Han Feizi said: "Things are accomplished with secrets, and failures are revealed with words." Dong Cheng in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is an example. Dong Cheng went everywhere Lobbying civil and military officials to capture Cao Cao. Liu Bei, Zhong Ji, Wu Zilan, Wang Zifu, and even Dong Cheng's concubine all knew about his plot. Dong Cheng thought he was "tight", but he didn't expect his concubine to have a secret affair with his slave Qin Qingtong. Qin Qingtong immediately ran to inform Cao Cao out of old hatred. As you can imagine, everyone was killed by Cao Cao.

Today, even some decisions in work and life do not need to be publicized, lest everyone does not know, many things should be done in a low-key manner, not too public, because only when done in a low-key and unobtrusive manner, there will be less resistance. , there will be fewer obstacles. Once things are done, some possible obstacles will disappear invisibly.