When it comes to Zeng Guofan, the world knows everything. Zeng Guofan was diligent and thrifty, self-disciplined, so posterity spoke highly of Zeng Guofan, and some people praised him as the first perfect person in the ages. Folk have always been circulating: to learn from Hu Xueyan from businessmen, to be an official, to learn from Zeng Guofan, and to be a man, you must learn from Du Yuesheng. It can be seen that Zeng Guofan had a deep influence on future generations.
In the second year of Xianfeng, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement swept through most of China, and the Qing government mobilized a large number of Eight Banners and Green Battalion soldiers from all over the country to surround and suppress the Taiping Army, but the Eight Banners Green Battalion was vulnerable. Therefore, Zeng Guofan was ordered to organize regimental training and form the Xiang Army, which finally defeated the Taiping Army after many years of fierce fighting.
Because of his efforts to turn the tide and his outstanding merits, Zeng Guofan, together with Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang and Zhang Zhidong, was called the "Four Famous Ministers of The Late Qing Dynasty". Later, he was promoted to the Viceroy of Liangjiang, the Viceroy of Zhili, and a scholar of Wuyingdian University, and was given the title of Marquis of Yiyong of the First Rank, with the posthumous title of "Wenzheng" (文正), and later known as "Zeng Wenzheng".
Chairman Mao, a great man of a generation, spoke highly of Zeng Guofan: "Give to your neighbors and serve Zeng Wenzheng alone." Looking at the battle of Hong and Yang, it is perfect, so that today it can be changed, and it can be as complete as the other? ”
As regular armies, the Eight Banners and the Green Battalion could not defeat the Taiping Army, and the Xiang Army formed by Zeng Guofan was only a temporary patchwork of local armed forces, so why could it achieve victory? Because Zeng Guofan formulated 4 strategies and unswervingly implemented them. These 4 points, which seem clumsy, actually contain great wisdom.
First, employ soldiers
At the beginning of the formation of the Xiang Army, Zeng Guofan analyzed the reasons for the failure of the Eight Banners and the Green Battalion. The Eight Banners and the Green Battalion are the world's military system, soldiers and soldiers do not know each other, soldiers and generals are not accustomed to each other. Moreover, he was greedy for life and afraid of death, and feared the enemy and feared war. He said, "For several years, I have hated the habits of the military camp, and no one above the wu ben has not lost his conscience." Therefore, it is decided not to use battalions, not to use town generals. ”
Zeng Guofan believed: "The way to march is to choose the first." "His selection criteria are both ability and political integrity, wisdom and courage, and put morality in the first place." What is Virtue? Zeng Guofan believes that the first promotion is "loyalty and blood". "Loyalty and bloodiness" is an important principle of Zeng Guofan's selection and employment of people. Only a loyal and bloody man is not afraid of difficulties and will not betray his master.
Zeng Guofan believed that there was no shortage of "loyal and bloody" Confucian scholars, because they were influenced by the loyalty and patriotic etiquette of the king, but also did not pollute the vices of the officialdom, and they were the best candidates for the general. Literati commanding soldiers is a major feature of the Xiang Army, such as Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, Peng Yulin, Luo Zenan, Wang Zheng, Zhao Liewen and so on. According to statistics, there are more than 100 generals in the Xiang Army, and 58% are literati. The proportion is so high that it is rare in the world.
Management wisdom: loyalty and blood, used to be called faith, now called values. For the generals, the executives in the team, values are more important than ability. If there is loyalty, there will be no betrayal of the team; if there is blood, there is execution.
Second, elect villagers
Zeng Guofan deeply resented the floating spirit of the officers and men of the Eight Banners and the Green Battalion, "If there is nothing to do, sit and receive food for work, and if there is something, the wind will break up; when there is a conquest, when there is a conquest, if you see thieves, you will retreat, and if you disturb the people, you will bravely go forward." So he recruited people who were "young, strong, simple and rustic." Its oil head slippery surface, those who have the gas of the city well, and those who have the gas of the gate, will not be accepted."
Zeng Guofan also stipulated, "To recruit brave soldiers, they must take a guaranteed knot and create a list of prefectures, villages, parents, brothers, wives' names and surnames, and Jidou." Each is attached to the booklet for the purpose of inventory. "No one who is uninsured shall be recruited. This practice of Zeng Guofan ensured the purity of the Xiang Army and effectively prevented the Eight Banners Green Camp from polluting the Xiang Army.
Why does Zeng Guofan like to use villagers? Because the countryside is simple and clumsy, there is no idle and slippery habit of the urban people, most of them can bear hardships and stand hard work, abide by discipline, and will not be vain and brainy, and cause trouble. What is more crucial is that the people in the remote areas are fierce and fierce, and they will not flee in battle, which is a reliable guarantee for the combat effectiveness of the Xiang Army.
Management wisdom: A blank piece of paper is good to draw, and Zeng Guofan's way of employing people is of great reference significance. Many companies reject the old fritters that frequently jump jobs, and like to hire and train employees from rural areas, which is the reason.
Third, harden the village
Zeng Guofan said: "Whoever fights a war, drum after drum, and those who do not move, the qi will decay; whoever attacks the stronghold, pounces again and again, and those who do not move, the qi will decay." Therefore, Zeng Guofan formulated the strategic principle of "hardening the village" for the Xiang Army to fight. With the "hard village", the attack can be attacked, the retreat can be defended, and the self is in an invincible position.
What is a "hardened village"? Zeng Guofan stipulated that before the battle, the terrain should first be surveyed, the camp should be selected, and then the trenches and hedges should be quickly dug. "The wall must be eight feet high and three feet thick; the trench must be eight feet wide and six feet deep; there must be an inner hao inside the wall, and two or three outer hao outside the wall; and a bamboo stick must be densely nailed inside the trench."
"Hardening the stronghold" is the strategic idea of a protracted war. Once such a village is formed, in the era of cold weapons + muskets, it can not only prevent the enemy from sneaking attacks, but also greatly reduce their own casualties when the enemy charges. When the death rate from fighting a war decreases, morale rises. Because the enemy is besieged and unable to get supplies, it is impossible to win a protracted war.
Management wisdom: As the saying goes, the foundation is not solid, the ground is shaking. In everything we do, we must stand firm, lay a solid foundation, fight steadily, and take every step as a camp. Without a solid foundation of management, without a healthy company culture, what you take wins over others.
Fourth, fight a stupid battle
Zeng Guofan was a man of letters and was not good at tricks and tricks, so he used "regular soldiers". His strategy is to first ensure that he does not lose, and then make a little progress every time, accumulating small victories and big victories until he completely defeats the enemy. This kind of rigid tactics, although the effect is a little slower, but to ensure that they are invincible.
Zeng Guofan often wrote letters to his generals, expounding his thinking on combat and admonishing everyone not to be arrogant and contemptuous of the enemy, and to be greedy and adventurous, so as not to fall into the trap of the enemy. Once, he wrote to his ninth brother Zeng Guoquan: "Fight a war without hurry, first seek stability, and then seek change; do things silently and endlessly, and be both refined and simple." ”
It is also this method that cultivates the unique combat style of the Xiang Army. That is, to be honest, to eat away at the enemy's strength step by step, never to be opportunistic, nor to rush to make quick gains. Under the guidance of this idea, although the Xiang Army's tactics were dull, its combat strength was strong, which made the Taiping Army helpless, and finally Zeng Guofan laughed to the end.
Management wisdom: There are many smart people in the workplace, but it is often the "stupid people" who achieve great achievements. Focusing on the goal, undistracted, and stumbling to the end is not "stupid", it is the most valuable execution of the enterprise.
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