King of Chu asked Fan Huan, “I wish to place a chancellor in the state of Qin. Who would be suitable?” Fan Huan replied, “Your servant is not worthy to know of such matters.” The King of Chu said, “If I appoint Gan Mao as chancellor, would that be acceptable?” Fan Huan answered, “It would not.” The King asked, “Why not?” Fan Huan said, “Shi Ju was a gatekeeper of Shangcai—in greater matters he fell short of serving a sovereign, and in lesser matters he fell short of settling his own household; yet he was renowned throughout the world for harshness and incorruptibility. Gan Mao served him with utmost deference. Thus, under the brilliance of King Hui of Qin, the discernment of King Wu of Qin, and the eloquence of Zhang Yi, Gan Mao served them all, obtaining ten offices without incurring any fault. Meng Ben and Xia Yu were the bravest warriors under heaven, yet the valor of Meng Ben and the valor of Xia Yu both could not match that of Gan Mao. With Gan Mao’s worthiness, and his familiarity with the governance of Qin, if you wish to make him chancellor of Qin, this would bode ill for Chu. It would be better for Your Majesty to appoint Xiang Shou as chancellor of Qin. Xiang Shou is a kinsman by marriage of Qin, while Gan Mao is of Chu lineage. Now if Your Majesty causes Gan Mao to serve as chancellor in Qin, then the alliance between Qin and Chu will surely be secured, but the altars of the state of Chu will be imperiled. It would be better for Your Majesty to appoint Xiang Shou, for Xiang Shou is loyal to Qin yet close to Chu. If Your Majesty employs him, he will surely treat Chu generously.” The King of Chu said, “Well spoken.” Thereupon he dispatched Xiang Shou to serve as chancellor in Qin.
💡 商战启示录
Fan Huan's counsel reveals the strategic wisdom of personnel placement in cross-border cooperation: to position "those loyal to us" rather than "those strongest for us" in key partnerships. In modern business, joint ventures and supply-chain collaborations often face similar choices. For instance, when a Chinese automaker enters a joint venture with a European brand, dispatching a top-tier technical expert who is culturally alienated from China may create communication barriers; whereas selecting a "Shou Xiang-style" talent—one who understands both the local market and the foreign partner's system—can balance mutual interests and ensure stable cooperation. Likewise, after a cross-border merger, parent companies often install "their own people" in key roles, yet if such individuals lack familiarity with the local market, the endeavor may fail. Fan Huan's insight is this: in critical positions within partnerships, one should appoint individuals who are "stakeholders capable of bridging both sides," not merely those with the greatest competence. This demands that corporate leaders, during negotiation, assess not only a candidate's professional expertise but also their political and relational networks—just as Fan Huan evaluated Gan Mao's "worthiness" and "closeness." In the end, the King of Chu adopted this counsel, thereby preventing Qin from leveraging Gan Mao to strengthen its leverage over Chu. Modern enterprises should learn from this "relationship-first" decision-making logic, treating personnel appointments in global expansion as a strategic move in the larger game, rather than a mere administrative matter.