Doctrine Political Work

How Should Those Who Lead Troops Practice the Mass Viewpoint (群众观) — Merging with Officers and Soldiers, Becoming One with Them

带兵人如何践行群众观，与官兵融在一起、打成一片

PLA Daily (解放军报) 11 August 2026

Summary

A PLA Daily commentary profiles Commander Li of an unnamed brigade under the 82nd Group Army, using his live-fire competition win against his own company commanders and his self-described 'three daily visits' (每日三探) practice — morning exercises, informal rounds of grassroots units, and unannounced meal-time checks — to illustrate the mass viewpoint (群众观) and Party mass line (群众路线) as applied to troop leadership. This is standard political work content; its value is as a record of how the institution frames the officer-soldier relationship problem — specifically the 'invisible barrier' between rank and file — for mid-level commanders, not as evidence of a new policy or doctrinal shift. The repeated emphasis on shedding 'official airs' (官架子) and achieving 'compliance without commands' (不令而行) points to an institutional concern that junior and mid-grade officers are perceived as insufficiently integrated with their troops, a recurring theme in PLA political education.

Translation

How should those who lead troops practice the mass viewpoint (群众观)? How should they merge with officers and soldiers and become one with them? This is a question the author has long pondered. During a recent visit to a unit for reporting, the author found the answer.

At a field training site, a live-fire shooting competition was in fierce progress. Competing on the same stage were, on one side, the current company commanders of Company 3 and Company 5 of a certain brigade under the 82nd Group Army — both renowned sharpshooters — and on the other side, a company commander from 20 years ago, today the brigade's Commander Li. Amid the cheers of officers and soldiers, Commander Li won with solid, hard-earned skill, leaving both company commanders fully convinced.

When sweat is shed together, hearts can draw close together, and feelings can merge together. This competition was not only a contest of marksmanship, but a vivid illustration of the approach to leading troops that Commander Li advocates: "Those who lead troops must not only understand command — they must understand tactics, understand the grassroots, and understand the officers and soldiers. Only by setting aside official airs (官架子) and staying constantly in resonance with officers and soldiers can one win their trust and set a good example." Commander Li adheres to the practice of "three daily visits" (每日三探), drawing close to officers and soldiers with sincerity, consolidating strength through genuine action, and warming soldiers' hearts with genuine feeling.

The first visit — morning exercises: insisting on genuine demonstration. At morning exercises, Commander Li is often the first to appear on the drill ground. He understands deeply that action is the best language. He insists on turning out earlier than the soldiers, observing the troops' condition and standing as a standard-bearer, using the concrete action of "watch me" to inject high morale into the entire brigade from the very start of each day.

Practice has proven that those who lead troops and dare to call out "watch me" possess a timeless treasure of troop leadership. Our army was built on adhering to the Party's mass line (群众路线). Those who lead troops must organize and rally the broad ranks of officers and soldiers — and this cannot remain at the level of words alone. It requires personal practice and serving as a model through one's conduct. Only by bending down, lowering one's posture, insisting on standing at the front of the ranks, maintaining the charging stance of "follow me," and consistently leading by example and going before one's troops can one win the respect and support of officers and soldiers.

The second visit — investigation: discovering real problems. On his way to work each day, Commander Li always makes a point to "make the rounds" (转一转) of grassroots companies and headquarters sections. What appears to be a casual stroll is in fact a deep investigative "probe" (探). Building training grounds, rectifying unauthorized electrical wiring in the garrison area — one after another, the urgent, difficult, and pressing problems that officers and soldiers worry about are discovered during these rounds, placed on the Party committee's agenda, and ultimately resolved.

Grassroots officers and soldiers are on the front line of building a powerful military (强军兴军) and have the most say in matters of unit development. As long as leaders take steps to engage with officers and soldiers "face to face, knee to knee, bunk to bunk, and bowl to bowl" (面对面、膝促膝、铺挨铺、碗碰碗), they will certainly be able to grasp the real conditions at the grassroots, identify the crux of problems, and lay the foundation for sound decision-making and precise action.

The third visit — unannounced: pouring in genuine feeling. Commander Li often reflects: have I truly integrated myself among the officers and soldiers? On one occasion, while eating an impromptu meal (碰饭) at the grassroots, he noticed that the meal trays of new recruits contained only staple food. It turned out that, in order to accommodate the new recruits, the cadres and backbone personnel had decided to let the recruits serve themselves first — but the recruits had waited and waited without getting any dishes. He immediately had the recruits go back and serve themselves again, and later specifically required the backbone personnel responsible for leading troops to guide new recruits through the meal line on the spot. The problem was resolved. This detail reflects the true essence of leading troops: it lies in applying one's heart and genuine feeling.

The way of leading troops lies in going first; its merit lies in applying one's heart; its success lies in genuine feeling. Commander Li's "three daily visits" probe the conditions and the hearts of the soldiers, and establish the authority and power (威信威力) that comes from officers and soldiers sharing the same aspirations (上下同欲). In the new era, the environment inside and outside the military has undergone profound change. Young officers and soldiers are intellectually active, their various interests and demands are diverse, and there is an even greater need for those who lead troops to integrate themselves among the soldiers — serving officers and soldiers, guiding officers and soldiers, and enabling officers and soldiers to achieve their potential. Only by transforming their thinking and updating their mindset can those who lead troops break down the invisible barrier between "officer" and "soldier." As the saying goes: draw one inch closer to the soldiers, and the bond deepens by one layer. When those who lead troops share hardship with officers and soldiers on the training ground and are of one mind with them in daily life — truly becoming "one of their own" (自己人) in the hearts of officers and soldiers — they will certainly be able to make officers and soldiers "trust you, listen to you, and rely on you," achieving the leadership effectiveness of "compliance without commands" (不令而行) and rallying a powerful combat strength.

Original Chinese

带兵人如何践行群众观？如何与官兵融在一起、打成一片？这是笔者一直思考的问题。前不久的一次下部队采访中，笔者找到了答案。某野外驻训场，一场实弹射击比武正在激烈进行。同台竞技的，一方是现任第82集团军某旅3连连长和5连连长，他们都是有名的神枪手；而另一方则是20年前的连长，今天该旅的李旅长。在官兵的呐喊声中，李旅长以过硬实力胜出，让两名连长口服心服。汗流在一起，心才能贴在一起，情才能融在一起。这场比武，不仅是射击技能的比拼，更生动诠释了李旅长所倡导的带兵之道：“带兵人不仅要懂指挥，还要懂战术、懂基层、懂官兵。唯有放下官架子，时刻与官兵同频共振，方能赢得信任、立起好样子。”李旅长坚持“每日三探”，以真心贴近官兵、以真干凝聚力量、以真情温暖兵心。早操“一探”，坚持真示范。早操的时候，李旅长往往是第一个出现在操场的。他深知，行动是最好的语言。他坚持比战士更早出操，观察兵情、立身为旗，以“看我的”实际行动，从一日之始就为全旅注入昂扬士气。事实证明，带兵人敢喊“看我的”，是永不过时的带兵法宝。我军是靠坚持党的群众路线起家的。带兵人把广大官兵组织起来、凝聚起来，不能只停留在口头上，而要身体力行、行为世范。唯有俯下身子、放低身架，坚持站排头，保持“跟我上”的冲锋姿态，处处以身作则、身先士卒，方能赢得官兵尊敬和拥护。调研“二探”，发现真问题。每天上班路途中，李旅长总是要到基层连队、机关科室“转一转”。这看似不经意的“转”，实则是深入调研的“探”。修建训练场、整治营区飞线……一个个官兵急难愁盼问题，就在这“转”中被发现、被提上党委议事日程，并最终得以解决。基层官兵身处强军兴军第一线，对部队建设最有发言权。领导干部只要迈开步子，与官兵“面对面、膝促膝、铺挨铺、碗碰碗”，就一定能掌握基层实情、找准问题症结，为科学决策、精准发力奠定基础。随机“三探”，倾注真感情。李旅长常反思：是否做到了真正融入官兵？一次到基层吃碰饭，他发现新兵的餐盘里只有主食。原来为了照顾新兵，干部骨干决定让新兵先打饭，结果新兵迟迟没有打菜。他马上让新兵重新打饭，后来他还专门要求带兵骨干现场引导新兵打饭，问题得到解决。这一细节，折射出带兵的真谛在于用心用情。带兵之道，要在身先，功在用心，成在情真。李旅长的“每日三探”，探的是兵情兵心，立的是上下同欲的威信威力。新时代，军营内外环境深刻变化。青年官兵思想活跃，各种利益诉求多元，更加需要带兵人去融入兵中，服务官兵、引导官兵、成就官兵。带兵人唯有转变观念、更新思维，才能打破“官”与“兵”的无形壁垒。正所谓，离兵近一寸，感情深一层。当带兵人与官兵在训练场上同甘共苦、在生活中心意相通，真正成为官兵心中的“自己人”，就一定能让官兵“信你、听你、依赖你”，达到“不令而行”的领导效能，凝聚起强大的战斗力。