Management in Tang Poetry

Author: Zhao Feng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Proud but not forgetful—arrogant employees 【Quatrain from Tang Poetry】
"Spring wind brings joy, horse's hooves swift;
In one day, all of Chang'an's flowers I see." — Tang · Meng Jiao, After Passing the Imperial Examination
【Analysis of the Quatrain】
This line has become a famous saying because it gives rise to two modern idioms often used by people: "spring wind brings joy" and "ride through flowers at full gallop." The poet experienced two failures in his life and endured hardships. At the age of 46, he unexpectedly passed the imperial examination, and one can imagine how elated he must have been! This is quite similar to the situation of Fan Jin passing the examination. The line uses a whimsical expression to reveal the poet's sense of triumph. That year's spring became, in his heart, the most beautiful spring. The spring wind, like imperial grace, continuously nourished his heart. He even longed to gallop across the bustling streets of the capital Chang'an and to admire every flower in the city in a single day—this was no less than "a madman's dream." But this unreasonable desire also perfectly reflected the poet's surprise and unease after years of suppressed emotions, when he suddenly saw his ideals realized. The line vividly portrays a lively and unrestrained figure, with vivid and engaging descriptions. From another perspective, the poet exposed his own weaknesses through his pen. His arrogant, untamed, and name-seeking personality traits also determined that this exceptionally talented Meng Jiao would face many hardships throughout his life.
【Appreciation of the Original Poem】
After Passing the Imperial Examination
Yesterday's shame is nothing to boast of now;
Today, my thoughts are boundless and unrestrained.
"Spring wind brings joy, horse's hooves swift;
In one day, all of Chang'an's flowers I see.
【Management Insight】
After passing the imperial examination, the poet believed that the Chang'an he had longed for had now become his stage for galloping. He thought he could achieve success in the officialdom and rise to prominence, and that he had earned the right to "spring wind brings joy" and "ride through flowers at full gallop." It is clear that his arrogant mindset had quietly inflated within him, giving rise to an arrogant attitude. In reality, this is also the beginning of a person's decline. In companies, there are also employees like this—they belong to the group of those who are "self-admiring" and "arrogant." These employees share a common trait: they possess unique strengths, which serve as their capital for "admiring" and "arrogance." Therefore, managers must use them skillfully.
In companies, there are employees who genuinely believe they are nearly perfect, possess visionary insights, stand out from the crowd, and are unconventional. In the end, they are the type of arrogant employees. Due to this mindset, their relationships with colleagues are superficial, their views clash with those of their superiors, and some even have strained relationships with their families. If a person indulges in self-admiration for too long, it becomes easy for them to focus on their own strengths while overlooking their weaknesses. Over time, their arrogance grows until it reaches the point of arrogance. In the end, they treat their own ideas as truth and practice them without respecting anyone's opinions. The "self-centered" mindset becomes deeply rooted in their minds. Once such employees appear in a company, managers must indeed put in a lot of effort to manage them well. These employees either remain silent or, when they speak, they demoralize their colleagues; they either avoid taking action or, when they do, they fight alone. Their behavior highlights their excessive confidence, which has reached the level of arrogance. However, it cannot be denied that among them, there are indeed outstanding talents. How managers can effectively manage these employees has become a challenge. Because arrogant employees may not even respect their managers, how can they communicate well with them? When hiring such people, managers should adhere to the following three principles:
Principle 1: Utilize Their Strengths
Most arrogant employees possess a unique skill. Their arrogance is not baseless—in other words, they have the "capital" to be proud. Managers should seize this opportunity and fully leverage their strengths to create more value for the company. However, many managers fail to do this in practice because they cannot tolerate the arrogance of such employees. If we consider it from another angle, if managers abandon them out of anger, these employees may develop a rebellious attitude. When it comes to situations where only they can solve the problem, even if managers use the "three visits to Zhuge Liang" approach, it may not work. Therefore, managers should make more use of such employees in their daily work, even if they display a "no one can replace me" attitude. After all, the company's interests are what matter most.
Principle 2: Address Their Weaknesses
Of course, managers should not indulge these employees blindly. If they allow them to become overly arrogant, it will become difficult to manage them. As we all know, no one is perfect, even the most outstanding individuals have their flaws, and arrogant employees are no exception. Managers should fully understand the tasks they are not good at and intentionally assign them to complete them. This is not to deliberately torment them but to help them reflect on themselves, realize their own shortcomings, and understand that they are not flawless. Although this may not change their arrogant nature, it will certainly yield positive results. When they fail to complete tasks satisfactorily, they will naturally develop a sense of humility, moderate their arrogant behavior, and begin to value teamwork, thereby improving work efficiency.
Principle 3: Be Tolerant
"As no one is a saint, who can avoid mistakes?" Managers must always maintain a tolerant heart to possess enough charisma and handle employee management with ease. When arrogant employees make mistakes, managers must avoid the mindset of gloating at their misfortunes and nitpick over trivial matters. This does nothing to solve the problem and only increases the gap between superiors and subordinates, serving no purpose. Instead, adopting a tolerant approach toward such employees is often more effective than scolding them. Since arrogant employees have a strong sense of self-esteem, they will feel guilty when they make mistakes. The manager's tolerance will intensify this guilt, thereby strengthening their self-discipline. In the future, they will consciously restrain their behavior at work and gradually change themselves. Managers should always remind employees not to forget themselves when they are successful, because forgetting oneself leads to arrogance, and arrogance leads to decline. Arrogance is humanity's greatest enemy and an obstacle to progress—a "stumbling block." P3-6