In 974 AD, Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, appointed Zhao Bin as Commander-in-Chief and entrusted him with the weighty mission of conquering the Southern Tang.
Just before setting out, Taizu bestowed the 'Imperial Sword,' which was like his alter ego, upon Zhao Bin and solemnly declared:
“If anyone below the rank of lieutenant disobeys my orders or disrupts military discipline, you may execute them immediately with this sword.”
Zhao Bin, granted absolute authority. However, in this glorious position, he makes an unexpected request.
It was a request to transfer General Cheon Chin-jwa, a figure shunned by everyone in the court at the time, to his own unit.
In rumors, Cheon Chin-jwa was truly 'Object of Avoidance No. 1.' This was because, in addition to being cunning and greedy as a matter of course, he was excessively ambitious and, above all, possessed a nasty habit of enjoying gossip and scheming behind others' backs.
His close aides were horrified. "General, why do you intend to keep that venomous snake by your side? A peaceful expedition might turn into hell!" they pleaded to dissuade him.
Jo Bin smiled quietly at his bewildered subordinates and began to speak. There was deep insight in his voice.
"This southern expedition is not a short battle. It will be a long and arduous journey. What we need most to win on the battlefield is not the sharpness of the blade, but the 'unwavering support of the court.'"
He continued. "Look at the kind of people like Cheonchinjwa. If we leave him here, he will surely slander us in the empty house and turn even the slightest mistake into a scheme to confuse His Majesty the Emperor.
He is the very one who will shoot an arrow at the back of our heads while we bleed on the front lines. Therefore, there is only one way. To keep him under my watch."Jo Bin's strategy was clear. It was to keep him close to monitor him so he would not harbor ulterior motives, but to silence him by assigning him missions at the right times to achieve merit. And Jobin added: "Do I not possess the Emperor's sword? The moment he crosses the line, I will simply need to show him the severity of the law."We naturally think of the human relationships around us. Korean society has long valued 'jeong' (affection/emotional bonds), but at the same time, it suffers from problems such as 'gossip' and 'factions.'
The reason Jobin's response shines particularly brightly is that he did not remain merely a 'good person,' but was a 'great person.'We are often quick to cut off or turn away from those who torment us. However, in organizational or social life, there are bound to be people we cannot avoid, no matter how hard we try.
Jobin did not deny the existence of 'petty people.' I coolly accepted the reality that just as there is light and shadow in the world, there are inevitably petty people beside virtuous ones.
And I reclassified them not as objects of exclusion, but as 'objects of management.'
The most dangerous enemy is one whose location is unknown. Rather than merely blocking those who envy or are jealous of you,
it is actually safer to maintain an appropriate professional relationship while keeping an eye on their movements.
The reason petty people cause trouble is that they feel their interests are being infringed upon or they desire recognition.
If you let them taste small successes like Jobin did, they will not attack you, even if only to protect their own interests.
Unconditional tolerance is a shortcut to becoming a pushover. The confidence Jobin had to bring in the Heavenly Throne was because he had a clear principle called the 'Emperor's Sword'.
Be kind, but you must have firm standards regarding rudeness or crossing the line.
You cannot live in this world like a fish that lives only in clean water. Sometimes, you must know how to accept muddy water to become a vast ocean.
General Jobin sought the safety of the entire expedition by drawing the 'poison' known as Cheonchinjwa into the 'antidote' of the army.The countless 'villains' we encounter. The moment we look at them and ponder, "How can I bring this person under my control and utilize them?" rather than feeling anger, we finally stop wasting our emotions and seize the initiative.Is there someone bothering you right now? Instead of expending energy hating him, why not try placing him as a piece of your big picture, just like Jobin?For a true strategist is not one who kills the enemy, but one who makes even the enemy work for them.