Cultivating Talent for the Long Term: This Unit Intensifies Two-Way Exchange Between Headquarters and Grassroots Cadres
A Brigade of the 81st Group Army Doubles the Number of Headquarters Cadres Assigned to Grassroots Positions in the First Quarter——
"The Work Can't Do Without Me" Is Not an Excuse
■ Wang Ruolong, PLA Daily Correspondent Zhang Kejin, Wang Desai
A set of figures recently released by a brigade of the 81st Group Army has attracted considerable attention: in the first quarter of this year, nearly one in ten headquarters cadres were transferred to grassroots positions—twice the number from the same period in previous years—with several of them taking up principal leadership posts at the grassroots level.
"Arranging this many headquarters cadres to serve at the grassroots all at once—the resolve and boldness of this Party committee leadership really is something." Even as this sentiment was being expressed, reporters noted that the brigade's two principal leaders had been in post for only a few months. Given such a short time in their new roles, why had they moved so decisively to reassign headquarters cadres?
As the reporting deepened, the answer emerged. It turned out that the brigade's new Party committee leadership had investigated and found that the unit's young cadre corps lacked vitality: some platoon leaders had served in the same position for too long and had gradually lost their edge; some company principal leaders had a narrow range of assignment experience, limiting their growth and advancement; and some headquarters cadres had worked in a single functional area for an extended period, leaving their perspectives and thinking relatively rigid.
"The key to solving these problems lies in breaking down positional barriers and accelerating personnel rotation." After careful analysis, the brigade Party committee concluded that the two-way exchange mechanism between headquarters and grassroots cadres must be put to good use, so that more young cadres could see a clear path for growth and have reason to look forward to their development.
Easier said than done. The brigade's political commissar frankly acknowledged that headquarters work is highly specialized: the longer a cadre serves in a position, the more proficient they become, and the more convenient and reliable they are to work with. Precisely for this reason, individual leaders had grown accustomed to holding onto subordinates they were satisfied with, unwilling to let them go to grassroots assignments.
"Using cadres well and producing more talent is the greater achievement." The brigade Party committee leadership studied and compared Chairman Xi's important statements on establishing and practicing a correct view of achievements (政绩观), engaged in thorough discussion and deliberation, and gradually unified their thinking: within the bounds of policy, human resources must be further activated, the intensity of two-way exchange between headquarters and grassroots cadres must be increased, and it is impermissible to artificially impose restrictions on the simple grounds that "the work can't do without" a given individual.
To ensure this work proceeded in an orderly manner and produced real results, the brigade conducted a comprehensive survey of cadres' career development aspirations, solicited opinions and suggestions widely, and formulated and implemented the Measures for Strengthening Incentives and Care for the Young Officer Corps (《加强年轻军官队伍激励关怀的措施》). The brigade clearly established the orientation of "multi-position tempering, appointment on merit" (多岗历练、择优任用), and while ensuring continuity across all work, carried out large-scale personnel adjustments to invigorate the cadre corps—stirring the still waters of the pool into life.
On the training ground, Company Political Instructor Zhu was in the thick of it. During breaks in training, he sat in a circle with soldiers, using conversation to take the measure of their thinking. This energetic grassroots principal leader had, until recently, been a highly skilled headquarters cadre. Since taking up his company assignment, he rapidly shifted roles, integrated into the company, and went on to win first place in a political instructor competition organized by the brigade.
"Before, I missed several promotion opportunities because I lacked experience as a grassroots principal leader. Now that the brigade Party committee has provided a multi-position development platform, I will absolutely not let the organization down." Political Instructor Zhu said that seeing more prospects for growth and advancement ahead, he now feels full of drive.
Cadre Yang Huan of another company is an "old grassroots hand" who spent five years as a platoon leader alone, and had at one point felt lost about the road ahead. After transferring to the headquarters, he quickly got the chance to prove himself—participating in a Group Army staff skills competition and achieving a strong result.
"Accelerating cadre rotation is not simply a matter of swapping headquarters and grassroots positions. It is a matter of scientific overall planning and systematic advancement." Staff Officer Feng of the brigade headquarters explained that given the relatively narrow development paths facing cadres in non-combat-arms companies due to specialty constraints, and the qualification requirements attached to certain positions, the brigade formulated measures including a young cadre development plan and priority appointment for outstanding grassroots cadres. These measures drive the movement of personnel across different positions, specialties, and domains—between combat-arms and non-combat-arms companies, between command-management and specialist-technical roles, and between military and political work—bringing new vitality and a new outlook to cadre corps development.
Assistant Engineer Zhao Yan of a certain battalion previously served as a company political instructor. With a formal background in computer science, he had long hoped to transfer to a specialist-technical position. The brigade Party committee gave comprehensive consideration to his individual career development and the unit's construction needs, and approved his application for a role change. Zhao Yan is now fully committed to research on the brigade's subject of AI-enabled combat power development (AI赋能战斗力建设), and has already produced multiple results.
The path of two-way exchange between headquarters and grassroots cadres benefits individual cadres and unit development alike—but the pressure falls squarely on the brigade Party committee leadership. Reporters learned that after some grassroots principal leaders were transferred to headquarters positions as section chiefs, they faced the practical challenges of lacking relevant experience and being unfamiliar with headquarters work. In response, brigade leaders proactively stepped forward, personally teaching skills such as drafting documents and organizing meetings, helping these cadres rapidly improve their capabilities and adapt to their positions.
"Keep the inconvenience for yourself; leave the opportunities for your subordinates." Recently, at a special analysis session on studying and practicing a correct view of achievements, the brigade Party committee leadership used the first-quarter cadre adjustments as a case study to analyze and correct ideological deviations present in past work, further clarify muddled understandings, and draw lessons from experience. Upon learning that the cadres newly assigned to these positions had taken on heavy responsibilities and acted on their own initiative after taking up their posts, the brigade's leaders felt gratified by the decision they had made.
Reporter's Notes
Using People Cannot Be About What Is "Convenient"
Cultivating Talent Must Be Planned for the Long Term
■ Zhang Kejin
The problem of insufficient vitality in the young cadre corps does not exist only in this brigade. Reporters hear officers and soldiers raise it frequently when visiting the grassroots. One important reason is that leaders in some units use the excuse that "the work can't do without" a given person to tie young cadres to a single position, artificially restricting normal rotation assignments, study, and training.
At its root, this problem reflects a deviation in the view of achievements. A small number of leaders care only about keeping things "smooth and uneventful" during their own tenure and use people only for their own "convenience." This not only causes the cadre corps to become compacted and stagnant (板结), but also leaves some young cadres feeling lost and without drive because they can see no future or way forward.
Flowing water does not rot; a turning door-hinge does not decay. Party committees at all levels, and especially principal leaders, should establish and practice a correct view of achievements—genuinely keeping the overall situation of the strong-military enterprise (强军事业) in view, thinking ahead to the long-term interests of cadre development and unit construction, accelerating cadre rotation within the bounds of policy, stimulating the vitality of young cadres, and helping them weather storms, broaden their horizons, strengthen their backbone, and build their abilities across multiple positions, so that they may grow at the earliest opportunity into pillars of talent who can be relied upon for great responsibilities and entrusted with heavy burdens.