Half of "The Analects of Confucius" Governing Enterprises

"During the war and chaos of the Yuan Dynasty, a group of scholars fled on the road. It was summer. They were hungry and thirsty. When they saw a pear tree on the side of the road, everyone went up to loot them. Only one person didn't move. Why didn't he eat it? He said: 'The pear tree has no owner, but I have a master in my heart.' Later, this person became a senior scholar in the Yuan Dynasty Guozijian. Although the matter is small, if he can handle it himself, that is, he cultivates himself."

This It is the story of "Xu Heng does not eat pears". The storyteller is Sun Dawu, the founder and chairman of the board of supervisors of Hebei Dawu Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Group, and a legendary private entrepreneur. The storytellers are all the cadres and salesmen of Dawu Group.

Using historical stories to let everyone understand that "a gentleman loves money and gets it right", Sun Dawu can't remember how many times this is because he has taught this principle from "The Analects of Confucius" ten times. several years. Among Chinese entrepreneurs, Sun Dawu is a very unique member. When countless Chinese entrepreneurs hope to learn management methods from Welch and Walton, Sun Dawu has been learning management wisdom from Confucius more than two thousand years ago, and he never tires of it.

Since 1992, he has turned the Analects of Confucius into a powerful tool for managing enterprises. In every month's meeting, he tells employees a sentence or two from "The Analects of Confucius", connecting historical stories, daily life and recent work, and guiding everyone to study and discuss together. Yue discussed "Do not do to others what you do not want to do to yourself".

In 1997, he built a Confucian Temple in the company. Confucius stood in the center with a scroll in his hand. On the left and right sides were statues of Confucius' apprentices Gong and Zilu. On the wall behind them was a large book "Benevolence". "Character. On the 15th day of the new year, employees and nearby villagers often came to pay tribute to the Confucian Temple.

In 2005, the number of employees in the company increased to more than 1,000. It was not realistic to gather everyone together to study the Analects every month. He distributed a copy of the Analects to each employee. At that time, it was the time when the western management bestseller "From Good to Excellent" was popular all over the country. The second edition had just been published, and almost every manager in China had a copy. However, Sun Dawu insisted on the idea of "learn to be a man first, then learn to do things". There is no more suitable "teaching material" than "The Analects of Confucius" on how to be a man.

He also wrote Wenliang, respectful thrift, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and trust into the corporate culture, which is unique among Chinese entrepreneurs.

"I am a practitioner of Confucian culture and a beneficiary of Confucian culture." Sun Dawu told us this, with a confident expression: "The biggest benefit is that people benefit from virtue, and the development of enterprises is very healthy and very good. Quick. Another benefit is that people's mental outlook is very peaceful, they know how to be filial to their parents, they know how to be responsible for their children, and then they are responsible for the society."

Sun Dawu is not an exception. In his book "The Analects of Confucius and the Abacus", the famous Japanese industrialist Shibusawa Ryuichi vigorously opposed the so-called concept of incompatibility between economic activities and ethics, and proved with his own actions, "Follow the motto of "The Analects of Confucius" to conduct business Activities, can generate wealth and become rich," and warned other entrepreneurs, "If you really make profits without being based on benevolence, righteousness and morality, then it will never last long." Sun Dawu didn't know Shibusawa Rongichi very well, but he used 22 Years have confirmed the same result: "After 22 years of business, I think Chinese culture is very effective in business management. Confucian culture has played a big role in the healthy development of our business. Moreover, it It is also similar to Western management."

Morality management

Rich and noble are what people want; Poverty and lowliness are what people hate; if you don't get them by the way, you don't go away. - "The Analects of Confucius, Liren"

The central idea of this sentence is that a gentleman loves money, and he takes it in a proper way, and he can't take ill-gotten money. The ethical management extended from this is the core value of Dawu Group. In Sun Dawu's view, such values are also the most popular values.

Sun Dawu said: "My corporate culture is a moral culture that naturally arises from free life. When I was mining the moral resources of the people, I found the traditional Confucian thought that can be most recognized by the people, so I established Confucius For idols."

Of course, Sun Dawu used Confucianism to manage enterprises, not only because it has a mass base, but also because it is very effective and practical in enterprise management. Sun Dawu's mother believed in Buddhism and his father believed, which had a great influence on him, but he felt that these ideas were a bit elevated, while Confucianism was not elevated, and it was very practical. Sun Dawu said: "Confucian culture is a culture of morality. Morality can be achieved by everyone, and it is beneficial to everyone. If you buy and sell genuine goods at a fair price, everyone will find you, and you will be rich."

But It is very difficult to make such a culture into the subtle behavior of every employee in the enterprise, and it cannot just rely on "natural formation". Sun Dawu said: "I will be tempted when I see money, and it is not easy to defend myself."

So from 1992, Sun Dawu began to speak "The Analects of Confucius" in the enterprise. He gave a sentence or two every month, and everyone discussed it together. Sometimes in order to let everyone know more deeply, I repeat a sentence over and over again for several months. At that time, there were only one or two hundred people in the Dawu Group. Sun Dawu not only spoke the original words in the "Analects of Confucius", but was also good at turning the big truth into vernacular, into a story, linking it with ordinary life and work, and telling it to employees. Once, when he told his children to go to school, if he saw ten dollars on the road, he should pick it up. He said, "This money is cheap, don't pick it up." Moral enrichment is safe and secure. Although there are many different opinions among the employees, after Sun Dawu "specially held a meeting to talk about it several times", the gentleman loves money, and the meaning of taking it in a proper way is gradually understood and accepted.

Telling the truth and telling stories is only one aspect, a value can be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and it is also reflected in the day-to-day leadership behavior of the senior leaders of the enterprise, especially in the decision-making. Sun Dawu's younger brother, Sun Erwu, was in charge of the feed factory in Dawu Group. At that time, there was a bean cake supplier named Pang Le. He had cooperated with Dawu Group for many years and trusted each other, so after he delivered the bean cake, he immediately Went to the house to drink water, and the weighing of materials was done by the employees of Dawu Group. Once, when a new employee saw that Pang Le was not there, he directly moved the bean cakes into the factory without weighing them, and secretly left a cake, which earned him 10 yuan. After the old employee knew about the incident, he told Sun Erwu in time. Sun Erwu immediately talked to the employee and took punishment.

Another time, a trader in Beijing came to order the goods from their corn food factory. The packaging of Dawu Group was 25 kilograms per bag. The trader asked for 24 kilograms. He paid according to the weight, but the package still 25 kg printed. At that time, it was a cousin of Sun Erwu who was in charge of this. After the company's top management knew about this, the cousin was dismissed from his post, and he has been doing technical work since then, never mentioning the management position again. Dawu Group did not cooperate with this client any more. "In doing business, we need to be benevolent and conscientious. The actual weight of our 50kg feed is three taels more, because it may be wasted during transportation. It is enough to ensure that the product is delivered to consumers at any time." Sun Erwu, chairman of the group, said.

Whether it is for suppliers, consumers or customers, Sun Dawu upholds the same ethical business standards. When the chicken coop factory of Dawu Group was first established, there was a client in Shandong who remitted 50,000 yuan for an order and asked for delivery within two months. During the delivery process, the market price of steel dropped. Sun Dawu took the initiative to give the lost part of the profits to this Shandong customer. He said: "Market competition is the competition of morality and character. Wealth will be concentrated in the hands of moral people."

In order to make everyone's feelings more intuitive, Sun Dawu also spent his time on hardware. In 1997, he went to Europe, and in Cologne Cathedral, Germany, he was deeply shocked by the devout prayers of people. After returning to China, he built a Confucian Temple in the Dawu Group, with a statue of Confucius in the middle, Zigong standing on the left, Zilu on the right, a big "benevolence" written on the wall, and a statue of Confucius in the temple. There are also Guan Yu and Yue Fei. Guan Yu takes the word "righteousness" and Yue Fei takes the word "loyalty". On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, people often come to pay tribute spontaneously. In the garden not far from the Jingru Temple, there is also the Huiru Pavilion echoing the distance.

Sun Dawu once dreamed of being a writer, and also participated in a correspondence course for Chinese language and literature held by China University of Geosciences. Now, he applies his literary talent to company slogans and product advertisements. He wrote on the pillars in front of the Confucian Temple, "The waste of the land preserves the principles of nature, and the teachings sooth people's hearts", and on the wall of the industrial factory area, "the name is good, the reputation is sought, and the profit is worth the hard-earned money." He wrote a slogan for Dawu Ganquan of the Water Industry Company: "The sky in Dawu is blue, the water in Dawu is sweet, and the people in Dawu are kind."

Sun Dawu said: "Why is Meng Musan three? Relocation? It is because the environment can educate people, the environment can transform people, and nurture people."

The most convincing manifestation of the impact of corporate culture on employees' behavior can be said to be in 2003 when Sun Dawu had an accident. At that time, Sun Dawu The use of private funds was accused of illegally absorbing public deposits, and he, the vice chairman, the general manager, the two chief financial officers, and three financial officers were all arrested. In the absence of a leader in the Dawu Group, each factory operates independently and records hundreds of thousands of running accounts every day. During Sun Dawu's 158 days in prison, not a single employee took advantage of the situation, not a single person fell into the trap, and not a single middle-level cadre was left behind. After Sun Dawu came out, he re-established the account. He had only 2,000 yuan in the running water of tens of millions. I'm sorry to come. Even the chief prosecutor said to Sun Dawu, "Your business is a miracle." When Sun Dawu told us about the result, he was very proud: "After studying the Analects for so many years, they know that ill-gotten gains are not taken, and they are loyal to things. Sensitive to action."

Zhou is not compared to

A gentleman is not compared to Zhou, and a villain is not compared to Zhou. - "The Analects of Confucius,"

"The gentleman is unity, not collusion; the villain is collusion, not unity." This was the first lesson Sun Dawu gave to his two younger brothers when they joined the company.

Since then (1992), this sentence has become a criterion for Sun Dawu to handle the relationship between the three brothers.

Sun Dawu has been wondering, how can people unite with each other instead of colluding? Then there must be common aspirations, not temporary interests. As the saying goes, "the gentleman is compared to righteousness, and the villain is compared to profit". "Benefits will not be eternal, and once the distribution is uneven, they will be divided. Aspirations are eternal. If there is an eternal goal, there will be eternal unity, and there will be no division." Sun Dawu said.

Sun Dawu's ambition is to build a Dawu City and lead everyone on the road of common prosperity. At that time, Sun Dawu had already publicly stated that his company "is not for profit, but for development and for common prosperity." At that time, almost everyone thought that the enterprise was an organization for the purpose of making money, but Sun Dawu did not think so. He insisted on his ideal and used it as a banner to unite the team. He said: "When leaders have a flag, without a flag, they can't unite the team, and everyone is a mess."

In fact, before Sun Dawu's two younger brothers joined the Dawu Group, they were small locals. achievement person. The second younger brother, Sun Erwu, does some small business, and his family is rich. The third younger brother, Sun Zhihua, is the deputy mayor and has a bright future. But in Sun Dawu's eyes, the ambitions of the three brothers should not be limited to this. He said to the two younger brothers, we are not together to make money, we are united to do a business. Personally rich is not rich. If we have the ability, the three brothers will make the people in this area rich, make contributions to Xushui County (where Dawu Group is located), and make contributions to the country. No matter who the property belongs to, the key is what wealth we create for society and what we leave behind.

Sun Dawu's ideals have been recognized by his younger brothers. During the more than ten years of cooperation between the three brothers, although they inevitably have different views on work, they "never fought over property, and never blushed over personal affairs." Now, Sun Dawu is the chairman of the board of supervisors, which is equivalent to the leader of the family committee, and basically does not participate in the specific operation and management. Sun Erwu is the chairman of the group, while Sun Zhihua is in charge of the work of Dawu Hot Spring City. The three brothers do things according to their abilities, and they are all earning wages. Sun Dawu's bonus is only half of Sun Erwu's.

From here, on the one hand, we can see Sun Dawu's extraordinary leadership as a leader to establish meaning and goals for the enterprise. On the other hand, it can also be seen that he is a master of ideological work. He is very good at managing family members. He used a simple "gentleman who does not compare with each other", on the one hand, he expressed his mind that he regarded everyone as a gentleman, and on the other hand, he established their cooperative relationship, avoiding the entanglement of the interests of family members, and avoiding the entanglement with other corporate executives. contradiction between.

Repaying grievances with directness

Or, "How about repaying grievances with virtue?" The Master said, "Why repay virtues? : "How about answering resentment with kindness?" Confucius said, "What should you give in answer to kindness? Answer resentment with fairness and integrity, and answer kindness with grace."

"Repaying resentment with straightness is my favorite sentence ." Sun Dawu said, "Everyone has a lot of grievances or complaints, and we advocate injustice."

Sun Dawu said that Dawu Group internally advocates the word "Rong" and the word "Ming". "Tolerance" means tolerance. Leaders and employees should be tolerant to what happens around them; "Ming" means to be heard when injustice. If you feel that you can't tolerate it, you should say it, instead of advocating tolerance. If there is injustice, you have to endure it, and you will not be depressed to death?

How are these two words reflected at work? That is, every employee writes a job summary every month. The main content of this summary is to describe what happened in the work. If an employee encounters an injustice, they can complain as much as they want. The management shall deal with these opinions fairly and impartially. As the chairman of the board of supervisors, Sun Dawu depends on the work summary of the board of directors and middle-level cadres, and the middle-level cadres depends on the front-line employees. Looking at it layer by layer, retaliation is not allowed. Sun Dawu looks at two or three hundred job summaries at the beginning of each month. In it, Sun Dawu can see a lot of complaints, about wages, poor water, heating and electricity supply, bad rest, and bad attitude of cadres. At the end of last year, when a colleague in the finance department wrote a work summary, he thought that the salary was too low, only a few hundred yuan. After Sun Dawu learned about the minimum wage of the company, he asked Chairman Sun Erwu and General Manager Liu Ping to circulate the report. Soon the company The average salary of 200 yuan was raised, mainly due to the adjustment of the salary of low-income employees.

Sun Dawu also conducts an open cadre evaluation. Those who do not pass the 70% pass rate will have their salary adjusted slowly, stay on the job for six months, and then take the test after six months. The financial director of Dawu Group, in the recent evaluation, only 1 out of 6 votes passed, and 5 votes failed. Sun Dawu said that he could "be the chief financial officer for another half a year, and if it still doesn't work, he will be transferred from his job". This is not only Sun Dawu's attitude to deal with problems fairly, but also in line with the other two sentences he believes in: "The capable ones are up to the mediocre, and the mediocre ones are down" and "Don't worry about being out of position, you'll stand up for it; don't worry about knowing what you don't know, you can know what you want to do." ". ("Don't worry about not having a position, only worry about not having the ability to hold a job; don't worry that no one knows you, just pursue the ability enough to let others know about yourself.")

In addition to these, employees can also write anonymous letters, or they can go to the group By leaving a message on the website, cadres can also "hear the news", which means that they can report whether the information is true or false. Although some comments on the Internet are very ruthless, every time I see Sun Dawu, I am very excited. He said: "This is too training! This is a test of the leader's mind!"

Sun Dawu said: "Summary of the work No matter whether it is an anonymous letter or an evaluation, it is all blunt. These are things that can be seen. We advocate reporting complaints directly, not playing unspoken rules, and not being sneaky."

Don't worry about the few Uneven

“Qiu also heard that those who have a state and a family do not suffer from widowhood but inequity, and do not suffer from poverty but suffer from unrest. Gaijun has no poverty, no widowhood, and peace and no leaning.” - "The Analects of Confucius Ji Shi"

"Don't worry about widowhood but worry about inequality", in the popular interpretation, you are not afraid of less wealth, but you are afraid of uneven distribution. The "average" here is generally considered to mean "average". But in Sun Dawu's mind, there is another interpretation. Sun Dawu's understanding is that suffering from inequity is suffering from injustice. I am not afraid that you will get more money, but I am afraid that you have no reason and distribution system to convince everyone. The meaning here is not average or even, but the concept of "equilibrium". Equilibrium is fair, balanced and convincing.

Han Dynasty classicist Kong Anguo (the 11th generation grandson of Confucius) once made a note for "not worrying about the few but not the unevenness": "Do not worry about the lack of the land and the people, but the unevenness of the government." No poverty”, Bao Xian, who spread Confucianism in the Han Dynasty, once made such a comment: “If the state and religion are equal, then there is no poverty.” It can be seen that the “equal” here can be regarded as fair and just in the design of institutional rules. People get what they want.

Dawu Group has nearly 2,000 people and more than 60 cadres. The incentive system and distribution system within the company are completely open and transparent. Whether it is fair or not is judged by everyone. In addition to the basic salary, the manager of each subsidiary and the director of the branch will draw rewards based on the percentage of profit or the percentage of profit growth. It is very clear.

Enterprises limit the income gap between senior executives and employees to be within 10 times and no more than 15 times. The income of middle-level cadres can be 2 to 5 times higher than that of ordinary workers. In China, when it is not uncommon for some corporate executives to earn 100 times the salary of ordinary employees, Dawu Group strictly controls the income of employees within this gap. When the chairman gets 1 million, make sure that the workers get 100,000.

"Everyone agrees with this wage system," said Sun Dawu. He called this a "republic of labor and capital", "wealth is not scattered, people are not scattered."

Dawu Group has been developing for 22 years, and no cadres and employees have been lost due to unfair treatment. Sun Dawu's experience is that if any organization wants to convince the public, it must be fair and fair. Fairness and fairness are reflected in clear rewards and punishments, and clear rewards and punishments must be open and transparent. As an enterprise, it is much better to let the clear rules replace the hidden rules, and let everyone participate in the judgment of whether it is fair and equitable, and whether the distribution is reasonable.

Becoming a Confucian businessman

Sun Dawu said: "Confucian businessmen are the inevitable destination of businessmen." People have different understandings of what a Confucian businessman is. However, two points are relatively recognized, that is, Confucian businessmen are businessmen with business ethics and social responsibility. Du Weiming, a famous neo-Confucian master, once defined a Confucian businessman as follows: He is not only an entrepreneur, he also cares about politics, participates in social welfare undertakings, and cares about the progress of civilization while developing enterprises.

From Sun Dawu's point of view, the most important thing for Confucian businessmen is ethical management and social responsibility, but it is not necessarily regarded as a noble behavior. For Dawu Group, altruism is also self-interest. Caring for employees and the society also means caring for the enterprise.

Ma Yinghua, Sun Dawu's assistant, worked in Beijing for a period of time. Because of the relationship between work and study, he visited Dawu Group many times and was deeply moved by its spirit. This Peking University top student with a Beijing hukou left Beijing in 2005. , came to Dawu Group. The company gave her a 70-square-meter two-bedroom dormitory. After she settled down, she brought her parents over, and the family lived happily. In Dawu Group, many employees from other places live in such dormitories.

In addition to providing housing for employees, Dawu Group also has a civilian school and a civilian hospital.

Dawu School is the most stylish building complex in the Dawu Group. This school has been in operation for 10 years. It has courses from kindergarten, primary school, junior high school to high school. There are uniform regulations for tuition reduction and exemption for students who are not eligible for high school entrance examinations; for outstanding students, there are also specific policies for refunding tuition fees. Sun Dawu once served as the principal of the school. The first thing he did when he took office was to focus on the moral education of the students. He set up a scripture reading class in the primary school, recited the "Thousand-Character Text", "Three Character Classic" and "Disciple Rules", and promoted Confucianism in the whole school. filial piety" spirit.

The hospital in the company is also welfare, and like Dawu Middle School, it benefits the surrounding people. When the company has grown to a few dozen people, there will be one medical staff; when it reaches two or three hundred people, the company will have a medical office; when it has thousands of people, a staff hospital will be established. Group employees and surrounding villagers each pay 1 yuan per month to join the cooperative medical care, and both examination fees and drug fees can be exempted or reduced. In spring and autumn every year, the hospital will also do two free physical examinations for employees and surrounding villagers, and visit nearby villages free of charge. On this basis, the group has also introduced the "Dawu Group Staff Accident and Disease Medical Insurance System", which can report up to 20,000 yuan for medical expenses. Employees who have signed a labor contract can enjoy this system free of charge, and employees who have not signed a labor contract can also enjoy it by paying a fee of 60 yuan per year.

It can be said that the three major issues of housing, education and medical care have all been thought of by Dawu Group for its employees. The employees feel at ease and the team is stable, which has also brought about a steady increase in the company's productivity.

Dawu Group has another must-do every year, which is to respect the elderly. It undertakes the obligation of respecting the elderly in more than 20 nearby villages. Last year, there were more than 150 elderly people in these villages over the age of 81. Dawu Group presented each elderly person with a large golden plaque. Happiness is the blessing of society. Also delivered are the big lunch chicken, the big lunch wine, and the eggs. This kind of activity has been done for more than ten years, and the Dawu Group's behavior of building roads and poverty alleviation in the local area has made it highly respected by the surrounding residents.

Now Dawu Group is not only a place to work for employees, but also a place to live, and the living environment is pleasant. There are gardens, pavilions, swimming pools, 5,000-year-old cultural galleries, and thousands of acres of vineyards in the group. Especially in spring, flowers and willows are everywhere. Some people call this place "Peach Blossom Garden", and Sun Dawu is a person with a dream of peach blossoms. Sun Dawu does not deny this, "The happiest thing is that this is a place where good people gather."

Interestingly, Sun Dawu believed in Confucianism, but he didn't bother to study Confucian works. He never even read the "Analects of Confucius" completely. Not only was he not guilty, but he thought it was unnecessary at all. The slogan is "Half the Analects of Confucius". He said: "Pedant people use one part, but in fact, half of it is not used. I just grabbed three or two sentences, practiced and thought about it seriously, and got huge benefits."

Of course. , his vision is not limited to "The Analects", his bookshelf is full of "Book of Changes", "Diamond Sutra", "Tao Te Ching" and other traditional Chinese cultural works, and he also reads "Everlasting Foundation" such as Western Management bestseller and still learning English. Other senior executives of the company also attach great importance to the study of management. Chairman Sun Erwu is taking the business management training course of Tsinghua University, and general manager Liu Ping has just finished the business management course of the National People's Congress. However, for them, these courses provide more tools and methods at the operational level, and the influence of Confucian culture on them is at the bone and spiritual level, and it is also the guarantee for the long-term development of the enterprise. Sun Dawu said: "The longevity of the business is not the longevity of the product, but the longevity of the culture. The culture of the Dawu Group is a culture of longevity."

Expert Opinion: How to Use the Analects

Where to Start

If a leader wants to learn management wisdom from The Analects, where should he start? Xiao Zhixing, a professor of management at China Europe International Business School, suggested: 1. Be consistent. The essence of the Analects of Confucius has been summarized as "the way of loyalty and forgiveness". Loyalty is to treat others with the best of one's own heart, stressing principles and bottom lines. Forgiveness is treating others with self-esteem, that is, sympathy, empathy, and respect for others. These two points are the most important and essential core principles of human communication. 2. Seek yourself instead. It is to be good at reflection and find reasons from yourself. Self-seeking is a specific method for individuals to improve their moral self-consciousness, and provides a methodology for how to achieve loyalty and forgiveness. 3. Be in it. This is to reflect on the aspects of the Confucian tradition that are not in line with modern universal values, and to change the order of differences into a universalist spirit of equality and reciprocity.

Transformed into rules of the game

To implement the spirit of "The Analects" into management practice, it also needs institutional support. Xiao Zhixing said that the corporate culture must be implemented at the level of the system and the rules of the game in order to play its role persistently. After managers understand the core ideas of The Analects, they can naturally formulate corresponding systems and frameworks according to these principles by sharing and discussing with colleagues and linking with management practices.

Avoid Misunderstandings

Liu Qian, Director of the International Program Department of Peking University International MBA, has been teaching Chinese culture to foreign MBA students for four years. In his eyes, Confucianism does have a profound impact on Chinese business culture, which is reflected in current Chinese business practices. But this is not to say that we can simply apply Confucianism to business management. On the contrary, from the perspective of management, many contents of Confucianism are not suitable for modern enterprises. For example, Confucianism attaches importance to human relations, not the spirit of contract. Modern enterprises are based on the spirit of contract; Confucian ideals are based on the spirit of contract. Human beings are morally conscious and hope that everyone will become a gentleman. As a political philosophy, it can be said that this ideal has never been realized in Chinese history, and Western management is regulated and restrained by the system, whether you are a gentleman or a villain. .

His advice to managers is to learn Western management first, to truly grasp its essence, to know where its strengths and weaknesses are, and then to find out what excellent things in Chinese culture can be added. In the aspect of enterprise management, Confucianism can only be applied to enterprise management through the "negation of negation" and the elimination of its own outdated things.