There Is No Need to Say 'Please' on the Training Ground—Commands Cannot Tolerate the Slightest Ambiguity

One afternoon in April, on the training ground of a certain Navy unit, Liu Guoyu—just reassigned as assistant squad leader—stood before the formation for the first time in the role of a commander, excited yet apprehensive. At that moment, his mind was full of anticipation about making his mark in his new position.

In the formation, Senior Sergeant First Class Wang Yunfei stepped out to perform a demonstration movement—crisp and clean. When Wang returned to the formation, Liu Guoyu, wanting to show "respect," deliberately softened his voice and blurted out: "Please, fall in!"

At those words, Wang Yunfei's movement visibly paused before he completed the movement and rejoined the formation. Political Instructor Zhu Denghui, standing to the side, glanced at Liu Guoyu but said nothing. Liu Guoyu was quietly pleased with himself—his little scheme had worked. Be polite and deferential to the veterans, and wouldn't squad work be easier to carry out in the future?

In the days that followed, he carried this "politeness" even further. Every time he issued a command to a veteran soldier, he deliberately added the word "please": "Please, stand at ease"; "Please, fall in" … Liu Guoyu felt quite pleased with himself, convinced that this approach both demonstrated his respect for senior comrades and brought him closer to his fellow soldiers—two birds with one stone.

During a break in one training session, the political instructor pulled Liu Guoyu aside: "Liu Guoyu, are you ever going to stop with the 'please'? Who authorized you to add 'please' to your commands?"

Liu Guoyu was stunned. Only then did it dawn on him that the political instructor's earlier glance had not been tacit approval—it had been disappointment at his "ingratiating style of leadership (讨好式管理)."

"Political Instructor, I just wanted to get along well with everyone, to make it easier to carry out work in the future …" Liu Guoyu lowered his head, his voice growing smaller with each word.

The political instructor did not continue to reproach him. Instead, he said to him, one word at a time: "There is no need to say 'please' on the training ground."

He then recounted his own experience when he had first taken command of a squad: "I was the same way back then—easygoing with the veterans during training, thinking that would make everyone like me. Then came an assessment, and our squad finished last. That's when I understood: a real commander has to look like a commander. A command is an order. It cannot tolerate the slightest ambiguity." The political instructor's words landed on Liu Guoyu one by one, like hammer blows.

Thinking back on how he had been ingratiating himself with the veterans on the training ground, Liu Guoyu suddenly felt his face flush. The political instructor saw that he was lost in thought and clapped him on the shoulder: "Go back and think it over carefully. Leading soldiers is not like hosting a dinner party. You have to be tough, and only then will the soldiers respect you."

The next day at drill formation training, he arrived early and practiced his commands more than ten times. When training began, he stood straight, his voice loud and clear: "Attention! Stand at ease! Eyes right—dress!" When veteran soldiers needed their movements corrected, he called them out by name directly: "Wang Yunfei, raise your arm higher!"

During a break, Wang Yunfei said to him with a smile: "Assistant Squad Leader, that's quite a voice you've got today." Liu Guoyu was about to explain himself when Wang Yunfei gave a thumbs-up: "Now that's what an assistant squad leader looks like. That day when you shouted 'please,' it felt off to me too. Leading soldiers means looking like you lead soldiers. No matter how many years I've served, on the training ground, when it's time to listen to you, we listen to you. Rest assured—we old-timers respect the drill regulations (队列条令), not 'politeness.'"

Liu Guoyu was taken aback for a moment, then felt a warmth rise in his chest … Today, the word "please" is gone from the training ground—but in the eyes of his fellow soldiers looking at Liu Guoyu, there is now a measure more of trust and respect.