The key lies in implementation

Author: Liu Yuying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Implementation is first a concept. If a person lacks a strong "implementation" mindset, does not constantly think about implementation, and does not constantly pay attention to implementation, then in their work, they will neglect implementation. They will only chant slogans without regard for results; they will avoid risks, sidestep conflicts, and retreat from difficulties; they will shout loudly but grip loosely. Implementation will naturally become just empty words. As the saying goes: "Concept determines thought, thought guides behavior, and behavior determines results." An anecdote widely circulated on the internet serves as a vivid illustration of this maxim: Two farmers went out to work. One was planning to go to Shanghai, while the other intended to go to Beijing. However, when waiting for the train in the, they both changed their minds. They heard people sitting next to them discussing that Shanghai people were shrewd, charging for directions from outsiders; while Beijing people were generous, giving bread to those who had nothing to eat and even old clothes. The person going to Shanghai thought, "Beijing is better—there’s no risk of starving, thank goodness I haven’t boarded the train yet, otherwise it would be troublesome." The person going to Beijing thought, "Shanghai is better—making money by giving directions is possible, so what else can’t be earned? Thank goodness I haven’t boarded the train yet, otherwise I’d have missed a chance to get rich." They met when they were refunding their tickets. The person originally going to Beijing had a Shanghai ticket, while the person originally going to Shanghai had a Beijing ticket. The person going to Beijing found that Beijing was indeed great. In the first month he arrived in Beijing, he did nothing but didn’t starve. Not only could he drink free purified water in the bank lobby, but he could also eat free pastries offered for tasting in large shopping malls. The person going to Shanghai discovered that Shanghai was indeed a city where one could get rich. Anything could be profitable. Giving directions could earn money, watching toilets could earn money, even selling a basin of cool water for face washing could earn money. The next day he went to Shanghai, he used his rural understanding of soil to fill 10 bags with sand and leaves, then sold them to Shanghai people who couldn’t get soil but loved flowers under the name "potting soil." That day, he made six round trips between the city and the suburbs, earning a net profit of 50 yuan. A year later, thanks to "potting soil," he even owned a small storefront in Shanghai. During his long travels, he had another discovery: some shop facades were clean, but their signs were dirty. Upon investigation, he learned that cleaning companies only cleaned the facades but not the signs. He immediately seized this opportunity and started a small cleaning company. Soon, his company had over 150 employees, and his business expanded from Shanghai to Hangzhou and Nanjing. Later, one day, he took a train to Beijing to investigate the cleaning market. At Beijing Station, a waste picker stuck his head into the soft-sleeper carriage, asking him for an empty beer bottle. As he handed over the bottle, both froze—because five years earlier, they had exchanged tickets. This story vividly illustrates the power of mindset on outcomes. In fact, the completion of any of our tasks is the result of implementation. If we lack the mindset of implementation, neglect it, fail to pursue it, and do not truly implement it, then any meticulous plan, any perfect measure, any correct policy, or any strict system will only become mere words on paper. If we lack the mindset of implementation, neglect it, fail to pursue it, and do not truly implement it, then any innovative ideas, any effective methods, or any important meeting spirit will only be like satisfying hunger with empty promises. If we lack the mindset of implementation, neglect it, fail to pursue it, and do not truly implement it, then any brilliant prospects, any grand blueprints, or any ideal goals will only be like the moon in the water or flowers in the mirror, never to be realized. As the great proletarian revolutionary leader Marx once said: "One practical step is more important than a dozen slogans." This can also be expressed through two formulas often cited by former Party Secretary of Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, Lü Rizhou: "Meetings without implementation = 0," and "Work assignments without implementation = 0." A philosopher once said: "In the world, there are only two forces—concept and sword, but concept will ultimately prevail over sword." Concept can shape our thinking and perception, influence our behavior and methods, and determine our goals and outcomes. As employees of a company, to effectively execute the management rules and regulations set by the company, to strengthen and expand the company, and to achieve the company’s profit targets, we must firmly establish a strong mindset of implementation. As staff of the Party and government, to effectively complete the tasks entrusted by the Party and the people, to carry out the work assigned by higher leadership, and to realize the goal of serving the people wholeheartedly and achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects, we must firmly establish a strong mindset of implementation. A strong "implementation" mindset is the prerequisite for implementation. With this prerequisite, we can change our perception, alter our behavior, and constantly think about and focus on implementation; we can then pursue implementation without compromise or deviation. Some say the 21st century is the century of concepts. Whoever shifts their mindset will be the winner. If we still neglect or belittle implementation in our concepts, we must quickly shift our mindset from one that ignores implementation to one that values it. Once we establish the mindset of valuing implementation, we have taken the first step toward implementation, or as some might say, we have walked halfway on the path of implementation.