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In the rolling torrent of the history of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao not only achieved the prestige of the Wei Wu heroes by virtue of his outstanding military exploits, but also created a great cause in the troubled times with his excellent vision and unique strategy. What kind of unique charm does this hero have that makes many advisors and generals willingly serve him? Let's find out.
Cao Cao's concept of employing people is staggeringly avant-garde, and it can almost be said to be "shocking". He advocated pragmatism, put forward the strategy of "making merit is better than overdoing", and emphasized the importance of using talented people, even if they have made mistakes. Cao Cao believes that employing people in troubled times is not informal, as long as there is talent, you can use it for yourself. This unique vision allowed him to recruit many talented people and paved the way for him to dominate the world.
Cao Cao's concept of employing people is not only reflected in the theoretical level, but also in practical action. He was well aware that during the war years, survival and victory were the most urgent tasks. Whether it is strategists like Xun Yu and Guo Jia, or military generals like Dian Wei and Zhang Liao, Cao Cao can find their shining points and reuse them. Cao Cao once said: "Governing peace and virtue has the function of rewarding things." This sentence fully reflects his philosophy of employing people, that is, in times of peace, emphasis is placed on virtue, and in times of war, merit is more important.
The difference between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao in employing people is like the difference between cloud and mud. Although Yuan Shao was a prince, he used people to be petty and jealous, causing his subordinates to leave one after another. On the other hand, Cao Cao, who is broad-minded and talent-wise, has made Xun Yu, Guo Jia and others return to their hearts. Yuan Shao's failure was precisely because he could not recognize people and make good use of them, while Cao Cao's success was due to his ability to recruit talents and be eclectic. Such a comparison can't help but make people sigh, the same heroes and heroes, the gap is so huge.
Under Yuan Shao's command, there were many outstanding talents, such as Tian Feng, Xu You, etc., but these people were unable to display their talents because of Yuan Shao's narrow-mindedness. Tian Feng was imprisoned for admonishment, and finally died of depression; Although Xu You was the first contributor to the Battle of Guandu, he was killed by Yuan Shao soon after because of his pride. Cao Cao treats talents magnanimously, regardless of past suspicions. Xun Yu was used by Yuan Shao, but because he was dissatisfied with Yuan Shao's personality, he switched to Cao Cao's disciples, and Cao Cao not only entrusted him with important tasks, but also called it "my son's room".
Cao Cao's strategy of employing people enabled him to rise rapidly in a short period of time, and finally defeated Yuan Shao and unified the north. Yuan Shao's failure was precisely because he could not make good use of people like Cao Cao, and he could only sit on talents but could not give full play to their value.
Cao Cao's "Three Orders for Seeking Talents" can be called the secret weapon of the great gathering of talents. He inherited and developed the idea of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's "Seeking Mao Talent and Equal Edict", emphasizing "meritocracy". This policy not only attracts many people of insight, but also allows those who have made mistakes to find opportunities to return to service for their country. Cao Cao knew how to tolerate mistakes when employing people, and it was this wisdom that made his talents like clouds and ministers like rain.
In troubled times, traditional moral standards can no longer be fully applied, and we must be flexible according to the actual situation. Therefore, he proposed that "it is better to make merit than to make mistakes", that is, to reuse those who have actual ability, rather than being bound by their past. This policy caused many talented people to defect to Cao Cao and work for him.
He once said: "It is better for me to bear the people of the world, and it is better for the people of the world to bear me." Although this sentence is domineering, it also shows the importance he attaches to loyalty. Under Cao Cao's hands, many talents not only got the opportunity to display their talents, but also felt the trust and respect of the lord, so that they served him more loyally.
Despite Cao Cao's emphasis on pragmatism, he did not ignore the importance of having both ability and integrity. In troubled times, he paid more attention to the actual ability of talents, but this did not mean that he gave up the requirements for virtue. Cao Cao is able to rationally deal with a variety of talents, ensuring that they are used to his advantage, while maintaining the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the team.
Only people with both ability and political integrity can be invincible in the long-term struggle. He once said to his subordinates: "Governing the world is virtuous, and troubled times are still capable." "In peacetime, Cao Cao pays attention to cultivating the virtue of talents, emphasizing loyalty and integrity; In wartime, however, he attached more importance to the actual ability of talented people and to their military exploits and practical results. With this balance, he is able to ensure that his men are loyal to him while also maximizing their potential when it matters most.
He not only has think tanks like Xun Yu and Guo Jia, but also fierce generals like Dian Wei and Zhang Liao. These people perform their own duties, do their best, and jointly contribute to Cao Cao's cause. It is this balance of ability and political integrity and pragmatism that enables Cao Cao to move forward steadily in the troubled times and eventually achieve hegemony.
He attaches great importance to the prestige of leadership, and pays attention to respect and prestige in the process of employing people. He is good at establishing authority and ensuring that his subordinates respect and loyalty to him. In the battle of Guandu, Xu You defected to Cao Cao, but he didn't have time to wear his shoes and jumped out to meet him, showing his respect for talents. However, when Xu Yu was proud of his achievements and disrespected Cao Cao, he resolutely executed him to maintain his leadership prestige.
This is reflected not only in the management of his subordinates, but also in his handling of the talents of the opposing camp. Only by making everyone fear themselves can they be invincible in troubled times. He was never soft on those who were talented but disloyal, whether it was Chun Yuqiong, who Guo Jia suggested for execution, or Gao Shun, whom he personally eliminated, all in order to establish his prestige and maintain the stability of the team.
His leadership prestige depends not only on his personal charisma and wisdom, but also on his fairness and impartiality in dealing with talents. Under his hands, talents, regardless of their origins, can be reused and respected as long as they are talented. This kind of fairness and justice makes his team extremely cohesive, and everyone is willing to work for him and work together for a common goal.
These classic cases fully demonstrate Cao Cao's wisdom and decisiveness in employing people. He is not only able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of talents, but also flexibly deal with them according to specific situations, so that talents can be used for their own use. This flexible and changeable employment strategy made Cao Cao always invincible in the troubled times, and finally achieved hegemony.
Reference books
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by Chen Shou
"Book of the Later Han Dynasty" by Fan Ye
"Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by Luo Guanzhong
"The Biography of Cao Cao" Pei Song's note
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