Grassroots Dispatches | The "Mutual Journey Toward Each Other" Within Strict Management and Genuine Care
The "Mutual Journey Toward Each Other" (双向奔赴) Within Strict Management and Genuine Care
■ Master Sergeant First Class Wang Fuqiang, a unit of the Rocket Force
A few days ago, at the scene of the whole battalion's equipment maintenance competition, Junior Sergeant Xiao Zhang moved with precision at the workstation, his procedures clear and orderly, while several veteran sergeants standing nearby nodded from time to time. Watching Xiao Zhang—steady and capable before me—I couldn't help but recall what he looked like when he first arrived. His growth is proof of something I often say: the secret to leading soldiers well is hidden in the small details of everyday life.
Xiao Zhang was the first post-2000 soldier I ever led. I remember when he was first assigned to the squad—he was extremely reserved. That was understandable. Coming into a unit where the squad leader is a Master Sergeant First Class and every comrade around him is top-notch, a private would naturally feel considerable pressure.
At first, he stood ramrod straight in formation and executed commands without the slightest deviation, yet his eyes were always darting away. He said little, and when interacting with his comrades he was careful and cautious, afraid that some small detail might go wrong.
I saw all of this, and I was not in a hurry. People say today's soldiers have strong personalities and are hard to lead, but after more than twenty years of leading soldiers, what I have always believed in is gradual progress and teaching in accordance with each individual's aptitude (因材施教). I am convinced that as long as the approach is right and the effort is put in, any soldier can be brought along.
Xiao Zhang was a soldier who gave you peace of mind. He kept up with training, his bunk area never needed to be redone, and he never cut corners on anything he was told to do. What I needed to do was simply pay a little extra attention to observing him. Once I noticed that he had a particular interest in vehicle equipment—he had found technical manuals on his own and was studying cross-section diagrams of components—I guided him accordingly and had him lead a mechanical theory class for the squad. He prepared with exceptional care, delivered it with clear logic, and even the veteran soldiers said it was professional.
Of course, each soldier in the squad has his own characteristics. When Junior Sergeant Xiao Zhao first arrived at the company, his physical fitness baseline was relatively weak; he lagged behind in several assessments, and during heart-to-heart talks he would always keep his head down and say nothing—he gave me no small amount of concern. I noticed that his bunk area standards were high, so I had him serve as the squad's bunk-area instructor and asked him to demonstrate for everyone at squad meetings. Gradually, confidence appeared in his eyes, and his training scores began to climb.
Over the years of leading soldiers, I have held to one principle: strict management and genuine care—neither can be missing. On the training ground I never equivocate; movement standards are measured to the millimeter, and anything that falls short is drilled again and again. That is being responsible to combat effectiveness. Off the training ground, I make a habit of sitting with everyone, chatting about everyday things, asking what they have been thinking about lately. Over time, the soldiers came to understand my temperament and were willing to open up about what was on their minds, and this naturally gave rise to the good situation of this "mutual journey toward each other" (双向奔赴).
People say the older you get, the deeper the generation gap—but that problem has not stumped me. Over the years I have kept my attention on all kinds of new things. Professionally, I keep up with and study the operating systems of new-type equipment as they come along. In daily life, for instance, when soldiers are excitedly talking about mobile phone games, I will go over and ask them to teach me a move or two. In this kind of atmosphere, quite a bit of the barrier between me and the younger comrades has dissolved.
On the strength of his solid theoretical foundation and his outstanding performance in that class, when the battalion soon after selected equipment instructors, Xiao Zhang was elected by a wide margin. Seeing his growth recognized by everyone, I felt deeply gratified.
Today, Xiao Zhang's composed performance in the battalion-wide competition is the best proof of all. The new soldier whose eyes once darted away can now shoulder the main responsibility at the workstation. I believe that as long as those who lead soldiers are willing to set aside their status and take the initiative to understand these young people, even an older veteran like me can lead soldiers well—and even more of those who lead soldiers will certainly be able to do it better.
(In accordance with the confidentiality requirements of the unit interviewed, the narrator's name is a pseudonym; compiled by Ma Aoxiang.)