Tag Archives: Zizhang

Leadership Lessons from Confucius: take some time away

December 21, 2020 Richard Brown Leave a comment

Zizhang said: “In the Book of Documents it is written: ‘When Gaozong was mourning his father, he did not speak for three years.’ What does this mean?” Confucius said: “This did not apply only to Gaozong; all the ancients did the same. When a king died, all the officials gathered together and took their orders from the chief minister for three years.”
子張曰：「書云：『高宗諒陰，三年不言』何謂也？」子曰：「何必高宗？古之人皆然。君薨，百官總已以聽於冢宰三年。」

Take some time away to pause and reflect. The world won’t come to an end while you’re not there. Your office will be functioning normally when you return. Your staff might even be pleased to see you come back from it refreshed and full of life. Continue reading Leadership Lessons from Confucius: take some time away →

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Analects of Confucius Book 12: followers

October 2, 2020 Richard Brown Leave a comment

The Analects of Confucius Book 12 brings together a large cast of familiar followers of the sage. It also introduces a new one called Sima Niu, who makes his debut in 12.3 only to head off into the sunset two chapters later never to be seen or heard of again.

Sima Niu was a government official from the state of Song. In his conversations with Confucius, he asks for guidance on how to deal with his eldest brother’s plans to overthrow the rightful ruler of the state with a couple of indirect questions about the nature of goodness leadership. Although Confucius gives him sensible advice on how to conduct himself, he sensibly avoids striking at the heart of the matter. In 12.5, with his brother’s attempted coup a failure, Sima Niu’s lament that he alone has no brothers earns him a withering riposte from the follower Zixia, which is often misattributed to Confucius: “Within the four seas all men are brothers!” Continue reading Analects of Confucius Book 12: followers →

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Leadership Lessons from Confucius: celebrity versus accomplishment

September 24, 2020 Richard Brown Leave a comment

Zizhang asked: “When is it possible to say that someone is accomplished?” Confucius said: “It depends on what you mean by being accomplished.” Zizhang replied: “To be recognized in public and private life.” Confucius said: “That is celebrity, not accomplishment. An accomplished person is straightforward by nature and loves what is right. They listen to what others have to say, observe their moods and expressions, and are respectful to others. Such a person is sure to be accomplished in their public and private life. Someone seeking celebrity puts on an ostentatious display of goodness while behaving in the opposite way free of any self-doubt. They will definitely be recognized in their public and private life.”
子張問士：「何如斯可謂之達矣？」子曰：「何哉？爾所謂達者！」子張對曰：「在邦必聞，在家必聞。」子曰：「是聞也，非達也。夫達也者，質直而好義，察言而觀色，慮以下人；在邦必達，在家必達。夫聞也者：色取仁而行違，居之不疑；在邦必聞，在家必聞。」

Be very careful before you hire someone who has the perfect resume and comes with glowing letters of recommendation. Don’t take their accomplishments at face value. Dig deeper to find out what actual role they played in doubling annual sales or landing a major client by reaching out to others involved in the work. Perhaps the portrait they present of themselves doesn’t quite provide the true picture. Better to know what substance lies beneath the pretty package before you open it. Continue reading Leadership Lessons from Confucius: celebrity versus accomplishment →

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Leadership Lessons from Confucius: to the best of your ability

September 18, 2020 Richard Brown Leave a comment

子張問「政」。子曰：「居之無倦，行之以忠。」
Zizhang asked about governance. Confucius said: “Execute the responsibilities of your office tirelessly. Carry out your duties faithfully.”

Even if you’re unhappy about the assignment you’ve been given, carry it out to the best of your ability. The more successful you are in executing it, the greater the levels of trust and respect you’ll gain from your colleagues and bosses. Once you have demonstrated your ability to deliver on your commitments, people will come to you with ever more interesting projects and opportunities that will expand the scope of your responsibilities and influence. Continue reading Leadership Lessons from Confucius: to the best of your ability →

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Leadership Lessons from Confucius: drama and confusion

September 14, 2020 Richard Brown Leave a comment

子張問「崇德，辨惑。」子曰：「主忠信，徒義崇德也。愛之欲其生，惡之欲其死；既欲其生，又欲其死，是惑也！」誠不以富，亦祗以異。
Zizhang asked about the phrase “accumulate virtue, resolve confusion”. Confucius said: “Place loyalty and trust above everything and follow the path of rightness to accumulate virtue. When you love someone, you want them to live; when you hate someone, you want them to die. But if you want someone to live and to die at the same time, that’s confusion.”
It may not be just because she is wealthy,
It may also be out of a need for variety.

Pivoting is a sign of weakness not strength. Once you’ve set your course, focus on building up the capabilities and cohesiveness of your team in order to accomplish your mission. Of course, you’re always going to experience doubts about the path you’re taking. But the more you’re tempted to divert from it, the greater the unnecessary drama and confusion you’ll create. Continue reading Leadership Lessons from Confucius: drama and confusion →

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Leadership Lessons from Confucius: stick to your vision

September 8, 2020 Richard Brown Leave a comment

子張問「明」。子曰：「浸潤之譖，膚受之愬，不行焉，可謂明也已矣。浸潤之譖，膚受之愬，不行焉，可謂遠也已矣。」
Zizhang asked about vision. Confucius said: “If you’re soaked with slander and wounded by insults but still do not falter, you may be said to have vision. Indeed, you may also be said to be farsighted.”

Ignore all the doubters and critics with their petty insults and slanders. You only get one shot at life. Stick to your vision of what you want to accomplish with it. No point in wasting precious time and energy worrying about what others have to say.
Continue reading Leadership Lessons from Confucius: stick to your vision →

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Leadership lessons from Confucius: on role models

December 14, 2019 Richard Brown Leave a comment

子張問善人之道。子曰：「不踐跡，亦不入於室。」
Zizhang asked how to become a perfect person. Confucius said: “If you don’t follow the path others have trodden, you can’t enter the inner chamber.”

What kind of role model do you provide for your colleagues and members of your family? Are you even conscious that others will take their cues from how you act and behave accordingly? If you arrive on time for work every day, chances are that everyone else will too. But if you allow yourself a more flexible schedule, they’re just as likely to follow your example. Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: on role models →

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Leadership lessons from Confucius: the dreaded annual review process

December 12, 2019 Richard Brown Leave a comment

柴也愚，參也魯，師也辟，由也喭。
Zigao is dumb; Zengzi is dull; Zizhang is frivolous; Zilu is reckless. (1)

How seriously do you take the annual review process for your staff? Do you approach it as a box-ticking exercise to keep HR and senior management off your back? Or do you use it as an opportunity to have a frank and serious conversation with each member of your team in order to let them know what you think about their performance and come up with ways of addressing any shortcomings in them that you’ve identified? Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: the dreaded annual review process →

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Leadership lessons from Confucius: both miss the mark

December 8, 2019 Richard Brown Leave a comment

子貢問：「師與商也孰賢？」子曰：「師也過，商也不及。」曰：「然則師愈與？」子曰：「過猶不及。」
Zigong asked: “Who is better: Zizhang or Zixia?” Confucius said: “Zizhang overshoots the mark and Zixia falls short of the mark.” Zigong said: “Then Zizhang must be better?” Confucius said: “Both miss the mark.”

When does your greatest strength become your greatest weakness? This is a question you should think deeply about when analyzing your actions. A lot may depend on the circumstances you’re in.
Continue reading Leadership lessons from Confucius: both miss the mark →

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Historical figures in the Analects of Confucius: Chen Wenzi

May 2, 2019 Richard Brown Leave a comment

Chen Wenzi (陳文子) was a high-ranking minister in Qi (齊), who left the state after his fellow minister Cuizi (崔子) arranged the assassination of Duke Zhuang (齊莊公) in 548 BCE for conducting an adulterous affair with his wife.

When Chen Wenzi moved to other states, however, he discovered that the officials there were no better than those in Qi and thus had to keep moving on.
Continue reading Historical figures in the Analects of Confucius: Chen Wenzi →