Any organization that starts to place emphasis on attendance and clock-in times is surely on a downward path

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2017-03-06 Bai Yansong, Financial Insights: I was amused when reading Chapter 17 of the Tao Te Ching. “The Supreme knows of it, while those below are aware of its existence. Secondly, praise them out of affection. Secondly, fear of it. Secondly, despise it. ”This is an evaluation and classification of leaders. What does the best leader look like? The fact that you are aware of such a leader’s existence shows that he understands the principle of acting in harmony with nature; his work is well-organized, and everything can remain in order without the need for daily meetings. There is an even more extreme version, called “The Supreme: one who does not even realize existence”; the best leader is one whose presence goes unnoticed. Thinking about it, since there’s no sense of existence and everything is in order, what excellent leadership skill this is. The leader in second place is the leader who is praised. The third type of leader is one who is feared. The worst leaders are those who are constantly criticized and complained about every day. This division is quite intriguing. I remember that toward the end of the Cultural Revolution, even in remote areas like Hulunbuir, the teaching order was basically restored. My mom works at the school, and she said, \"Actually, our school is doing well these days; even if the principal isn’t here, as long as there’s someone to ring the bell, things can keep running normally.\" ”This statement earned her a harsh reprimand, with her being told that she did not adhere to the Party’s principles and lacked organizational discipline. Many years later, when their old classmates got together, they would still mention my mother’s words, because it was actually a rather ideal state of things. If a school can have everyone carry out their duties simply through the use of bells, it indicates that the principal is skilled in leadership; there is no need for daily speeches, calls to resolve determination, or signing of documents, and yet everything in that school is in good order. I also invented a \"Bai’s Theory\": whenever any organization starts to place emphasis on things like attendance and clock-in procedures as part of its discipline, it is surely on a downward trajectory. Because in a unit that is on the upward path, everyone strives to work hard without needing to be urged. Perhaps the employee starts work at 10 o’clock and doesn’t clock in by 8, but they still work until 3 a.m. the next day on their own, without any need for supervision or urging. When \"Eastern Time\" was first established, there were no attendance checks nor any requirements regarding discipline, yet we almost lived at the office. By the time emphasis was placed on clock-in, its influence had weakened greatly. Of course, these four sentences are not merely evaluations of leaders or *employees; they also reveal a certain order and realm in life. Chapter 36 of the Tao Te Ching says: “If you wish to take something, you must first give it firmly.” ”To take anything from you, I must first give you something in return. The Tao Te Ching offers profound explorations of matter and human nature. On a smaller scale, a gentleman values wealth and acquires it in an ethical manner ； The more you get, the more you lose. On a larger scale, a country’s **place in the world, and the rise and fall of its dynasties, follow certain patterns; even empires that never set in the sun will eventually decline. An individual’s fate also experiences recurring ups and downs. For me, it’s often the case that when I’m truly disappointed, I sleep the best; I know there’s nothing more to lose ； But when reaching a particularly proud stage, one might instead feel panicked, because it might be time to go down the mountain. I remember in 2000, I was quite famous – I was one of the \"Top 10 Young People in the Country\", and I covered the Sydney Olympics live. After returning, central leaders came to meet me; instead of shaking hands with the coaches of the champions, they shook hands with me first. That’s really unusual! After that, I turned off my phone, closed the door, and spent a whole year studying the new program. Looking back, if it had not been for that year of silence, there would have been no motivation going forward. At that time, the writer Liu Hengda reminded me, “Xiaobai, you are at the peak of your success now, but be careful when the sun sets.” ”I said, “Don’t worry, brother; I’ll switch to another horizon and try again.” ”In 2003, the day before my birthday, I resigned from all three producer positions I held. As soon as I left, over a dozen people around me benefited: three associate producers were promoted to full producers, N editors-in-chief were promoted to associate producers, and another N people were promoted to editors-in-chief. The Tao Te Ching contains this meaning: When a cup is full, it overflows. What should be done? Pour out the water inside. If I hadn’t spilled this glass of water, I doubt I would have continued walking such a long distance. Therefore, “if you want to take something, you must first give it.” Some say that one should simply do nothing at all, giving away everything without asking for anything in return. This is not right. What kind of mindset should it be? One should know what to ask for, but also be content and know when to stop. “The contented are rich; those who die without perishing live long. ”I believe that if the Tao Te Ching were translated into modern language and given a copy to each official involved in anti-corruption efforts, they would all burst into tears and regret it deeply. But how can one understand the meaning behind these words when one is in a state of pride? It’s difficult. Note: This article is excerpted from 《Bai Shuo》, exclusively licensed by the WeChat official account of Changjiang Literature and Art Publishing House.