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Recently, I’ve heard that many professional managers have resigned one after another; the reasons vary, but the difficulties they faced are largely similar – staying on was no longer possible, they felt disheartened, so it was better to leave. Perhaps it is because the company they work for is going through changes, there are differences in strategic approaches, or there may be gaps in communication with the owners; it might also be difficult to adapt to the corporate culture, and established goals are not achieved on time... Faced with such pressure, many professional managers choose an attitude of withdrawal, seeking escape as a way to find relief. In fact, if everyone could adopt a more Confucian mindset at this critical moment, perhaps things would not have developed to such an extreme extent. When it comes to Confucianism, what comes to mind most is probably benevolence, love, and caring for others; these are just part of the core ideological framework of Confucianism, which is quite broad in scope. However, in the practical aspects of operational management, the categories of Confucian thought can be clearly applied to all aspects of our work. Its proactive and engaged philosophical attitude is truly worth our study. I would like to share the following insights with you: “Inner virtue and outer governance” Zhu Xi, in his work The Great Learning, defines inner virtue and outer governance as: investigating things to acquire knowledge, maintaining sincerity and integrity, cultivating one’s character and managing one’s family, as well as governing the state and bringing peace to the world. Professional explanations need not be repeated here; from a marketing perspective, the idea is roughly this: one must keep learning and test those lessons in practice ； One should possess a noble spirit, as well as a sense of responsibility and mission ； Good character is the foundation of being a person; inner qualities and self-cultivation will determine how great a success you can achieve ； One should aim high and have clear life goals. This is actually a basic requirement for a professional manager. In comparison, do we find any missing items? If these fundamental skills are not solid, does it lead to difficulties in carrying out specific tasks, causing one to be distracted from other matters? In light of this, it is necessary to gain experience in the following areas: 1. Learn*, learn*, and learn* again. In other words, make continuous progress through learning, test the truth of issues in practice, rather than relying on subjective assumptions. 2. Establish a correct approach to conducting oneself and handling tasks, and make active efforts to create a fair, just, and transparent working environment, eliminating cliquism and favoritism. Especially one’s self-discipline in private – behaving the same way in front of others as behind their back, and acting the same way whether rules and regulations are present or not. It is extremely important to set an example and lead by example. 3. Upholding a virtuous character is key to building leadership. Without good character, how can there be leadership and the resulting execution ability? How can there be talk of team cohesion and combat effectiveness? Many of our professional managers are flawless in terms of ability, experience, and determination, but fall short in terms of character, failing to achieve success – what a painful lesson indeed. 4. The ideals of professional managers should be reflected in specific career plans. A vague career plan is like a ship at sea with no direction; any wind coming from any direction could be a headwind. Lacking a clear career plan means that you just adapt to whatever situation arises; in terms of operational management, this translates into a focus solely on the process rather than the results. How can the boss trust that you are reliable? “\"When in poverty, one should cultivate oneself; when successful, one should help the world.\" A common flaw among professional managers is that they only focus on matters related to their position once they hold it, and do not bother with such matters when they don’t hold that position – they are capable of moving up but not down. A major reason for professional managers’ frequent job changes is their refusal to accept job changes or demotions within the organization. In such situations, most people choose to leave. Even when changing to a new job, it is generally required that the new position be at least at the same level as the previous one, or that similar salary benefits be provided. It may seem like a determined effort to strive for excellence, but in reality it is a typical example of seeking quick success. A friend of mine left his previous employer, where he had served as marketing director. Since there were already people holding the relevant positions at his new company, his boss suggested that he consider taking on the role of provincial manager in a certain province or region The treatment is on the level of a director. But my friend politely declined. Actually, what’s wrong with being a provincial manager? On the one hand, it is possible to summarize the successes and failures of the previous job, and through reflection to improve one’s working methods and approaches, thereby enhancing overall competence. On the other hand, it is also possible to quickly become familiar with the basic situation and integrate into the company in a relatively stress-free working environment. After all, on the front line it is possible to more directly see whether the company’s strategies are correct and how well they are implemented, among other things. With this friend’s abilities, they should be able to stand out quickly at this new company. Here, my friend who is a professional manager lacks the magnanimity to focus on improving oneself when in difficult circumstances. This “poverty” does not refer to material conditions; it should rather describe the extent of control over rights and resources. When one has limited rights and resources, it is possible to grant oneself more **, to remain low-key and build up strength over time – this is what is meant by taking care of one’s own affairs. Only in this way is it possible to \"achieve\" success – to gain greater rights and access to resources, to be able to make a difference, and to thrive in the workplace; this is what it means to contribute to the betterment of the world. ““Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.” In simple terms, it means that one should not force on others things that one themselves does not want to do (or does not like). The core idea is that one should treat others in the same way as one would treat oneself. To analyze it more deeply, it means that one should have a broad mind; when dealing with others, one shouldn’t be narrow-minded but rather generous. As a manager, it is the primary task to establish rules, set organizational goals, and ensure their effective implementation through a systematic approach. But as a manager, one also has to play an extremely important role: organization and coordination. Simply put, the quality of handling interpersonal relationships can sometimes have a significant impact on overall outcomes. Many professional managers end up failing in their roles, and to some extent, it’s not due to issues with performance, ability or intelligence, or systematic management, but rather problems in handling interpersonal relationships. So, to handle interpersonal relationships well, the most important thing is to have a broad mind. Only a broad mind can accommodate others. As a professional manager, how can one motivate subordinates with varying educational backgrounds, experiences, personalities, and preferences to work together? Only by knowing people well and assigning them appropriate tasks to enable them to utilize their full potential can this be achieved; it is a demanding task that allows no room for superficial approaches. Wu Dalang can’t open a shop – there’s no space for someone big like him. We often say that those who can master those stronger than themselves will surely achieve greatness ； Those whose driving ability is on par with their own can only maintain what they have ； One can achieve nothing if they can only control those with lower abilities than themselves. In fact, the kind of people you can lead depends on your breadth of mind. Secondly, one should be quick to follow what is right and strive to emulate those who are virtuous. Operational management is complex, and mistakes are inevitable. To avoid a dictatorship, one must be willing to listen to others’ opinions and make timely corrections. One should not be stubborn; instead, one must learn to draw on the essence and use it for one’s own benefit. Many professional managers often act as if they are the best, refusing to listen to any criticism from others, and sometimes ignore the warnings from their employers. The result is predictable. Correcting one’s mistakes is not just a matter of attitude; sometimes it is indeed a matter of survival. Once again, be strict with yourself and lenient toward others. As a professional manager, one must be a strict adherent and executor of the rules, and must under no circumstances show leniency toward oneself. Within the scope of one’s responsibilities and authority, it is necessary to act in accordance with the rules and maintain integrity. Being strict with oneself is also a way of warning others not to break the law; the power of such an example is immense. Conversely, it will bring endless troubles. This is one of them ； Secondly, one should be lenient toward colleagues and subordinates; when problems or mistakes occur, one should look for faults in oneself, always keeping in mind that \"employees will only do the work that their supervisors assign them.\" Reflecting on oneself first, before trying to persuade others or educate them, might yield better results. Fourth, “practice benevolent governance.” Love one’s colleagues and subordinates, offering them familial care and support; at the same time, one should also love one’s company (love one’s boss). Unite all forces that can be united, and strive to foster a team-oriented working atmosphere. Cooperation among departments is essential, as well as mutual support among colleagues; believe that a company’s productivity can be improved through the collective efforts of everyone. But this does not mean that mistakes and shortcomings should be tolerated in all cases; it is necessary to uphold principles in major matters and show flexibility in minor ones. ““With a heart filled with light, what more is there to say?” These were the words spoken by Wang Yangming, a great scholar of the Ming dynasty, on his deathbed. It’s a literal interpretation, so I won’t go into further explanation. But what is the meaning beyond the words? I said it, I did it, and I have no regrets – that’s what matters most. Wang Yangming advocated \"the unity of knowledge and action\" throughout his life, referring to the integration of theory and practice. The current understanding is that one should have great aspirations, but must also take practical actions in a down-to-earth manner. Looking at the current situation of professional managers, the inability to integrate theory with practice is a serious flaw. It is common in the industry to hear that XXX professional managers are theorists, but that they are flashy on the surface yet useless in practice, and so on. Many investors and business owners were also deeply distressed by this, and since then have refused to hire professional managers. The reason is clear: some professional managers talk a lot but do little, or their words and actions don’t match, and in some cases they only talk without taking any action. In fact, there are many such examples. Here are the reasons for the immature environment in which professional managers operate in our country at present, but it is certain that more of the problem lies with the professional managers themselves. Overall, it needs to be addressed from the following aspects: First, there must be a sense of mission. Just for a job, a salary. It’s impossible to even talk about whether the person is qualified for the role, whether they are familiar with the business, whether they identify with the company culture, or whether they can accept the boss’s style... More often, it’s with an attitude of “looking for a donkey while riding one,” wondering how work can be done well Fan Zhongyan’s life mission of \"worrying before the world does and enjoying happiness after the world does\" should serve as a model for us. Second, one must have a sense of responsibility. Too afraid (or unable) to assume the powers granted by employers or organizations to carry out duties; they shirk responsibilities and adopt an attitude of indifference, saying it’s not their concern. Especially when it comes to major operational decisions, ambiguity and indecision not only result in missed opportunities but also lead to disunity within the team. Worse still, they ignore the internal and external challenges facing the company, focusing only on ** to deceive the owners and investors. When problems surface, it’s not just a matter of leaving; it’s also no surprise when the company one works for is on the verge of collapse. As the saying goes, \"Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of a nation.\" Once we choose to pursue a career as professional managers, we must commit ourselves wholeheartedly to fulfilling our responsibilities. Third, one must have a firm will. Any professional manager must have a belief in victory and will not stop until their goal is achieved. A firm and strong will is half the battle for success. In this world, anything is possible. Effort does not guarantee success, but without effort, failure is inevitable. There are always more solutions than difficulties, provided that we have an extraordinary will to face those difficulties. Many professional managers fail due to their lack of willpower, insufficient perseverance, tendency to give up after trying only a little, and tendency to back down under pressure; in fact, this represents the greatest loss for employers. To conclude, I would like to use the four-character phrase by Zhang Hengqu, a great scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty: To establish a purpose for heaven and earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to carry forward the lost teachings of the ancient sages, and to bring peace to all generations. These four sentences vividly depict the Confucian attitude of engaging actively in the world and their broad-mindedness, while also highlighting the Confucians’ great vision and ambitious goals. Here, Confucianism seeks the ultimate goal for human education; but as professional managers, can’t we use this as a guide to embrace the Confucian approach of actively engaging in the world and create a more stable and perfect workplace environment? “As heaven changes through movement, a gentleman should strive for self-improvement without cease.