The King of Chu asked Xun Qing, saying: "How should a general conduct himself?" Xun Qing replied: "A general is one who commands the multitude. In commanding the multitude, nothing is more important than benevolence and righteousness. If benevolence and righteousness are not practiced, then the soldiers will not be devoted; if the soldiers are not devoted, then even with the discipline of Sun Wu and Wu Qi, or the valor of Meng Ben and Xia Yu, victory cannot be achieved. Therefore, one who excels at generalship must first win the hearts of his soldiers, and only then employ their strength. The way to win the hearts of soldiers lies in clarity of rewards and punishments, and in strictness and trustworthiness of orders. When one man is rewarded and all under heaven are encouraged, when one man is punished and all under heaven are awed, this is called enlightenment. Enlightenment is the crux of victory and defeat. In former times, Wu Qi governed the state of Chu, clarifying laws and decrees, reviewing regulations, dismissing superfluous officials, and abolishing the privileges of distant kinsmen of the royal house, in order to support the fighting soldiers. Thus he pacified the Hundred Yue in the south, annexed Chen and Cai in the north, repelled the three states of Han, Zhao, and Wei, and marched west against Qin, so that all the feudal lords were anxious over Chu's growing strength. But when King Huai of Chu heeded the slander of Jin Shang and the Grand Officer Shangguan, and banished Qu Yuan, Chu daily declined. Therefore it is said: The art of commanding generals lies in enlightenment, not in valor; the art of governing a state lies in benevolence and righteousness, not in profit. I hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully." The King of Chu said: "Well spoken."
💡 商战启示录
Xun Qing's discourse reveals the very essence of leadership: to win hearts through benevolence and righteousness, and to establish authority through clear laws. In the modern business arena, corporate leaders often fall into the trap of "performance-only" thinking, relentlessly chasing short-term metrics while neglecting employees' sense of belonging, ultimately leaving teams fragmented and disheartened. In contrast, Huawei's Ren Zhengfei, from early on, championed a culture of "putting strivers first"—offering generous incentives while instituting rigorous assessments and a bottom-out elimination mechanism. With clear rewards and punishments, and orders that brook no defiance, he earned the genuine conviction of his employees, enabling the company to conquer territory after territory in the telecommunications field. Wu Qi's measure of "abolishing superfluous offices and distancing the distant branches of the royal clan" parallels a corporation trimming redundant departments and severing nepotistic ties, channeling resources into its core business. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he decisively slashed multiple product lines, concentrating all efforts on developing the iPhone, and thereby forged an era-defining empire. Conversely, Kodak, clinging to the profits of film while ignoring the digital tide, suffered from sluggish internal decision-making—much like King Huai of Chu heeding slander and banishing worthy ministers—and ultimately met with bankruptcy. Thus, the modern leader must grasp this truth: first win the people's hearts, then establish the rules; gather people through righteousness, and prevail through clarity—only then can one ensure enduring success amidst the torrent of competition.