Do you know? In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei's way of employing people is always incomprehensible. Why does he favor newcomers and ignore those old generals who were born and died with him? Is it really that "the first to get the moon near the water" and the newcomers are easier to control? Or is there a deeper royal consideration behind it? Today, let's discuss Liu Bei's personnel arrangements to see if there is a far-reaching strategy hidden behind this, and perhaps we can understand different leadership wisdom from it!
When it comes to Liu Bei, the first thing that comes to mind is his benevolent and righteous image, but in terms of employment strategies, he always seems to be elusive. From Ma Chao and Huang Zhong to Wei Yan and Fa Zheng, these generals who joined later were all reused by Liu Bei and quickly promoted. Compared with these "newcomers", the treatment of those veterans who accompanied him everywhere, such as Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun and others, was a little embarrassing.
For example, Zhang Fei was originally the long-awaited Hanzhong defender after the Battle of Hanzhong, but Liu Bei unexpectedly chose Wei Yan. This decision not only disappointed Zhang Fei himself, but also surprised others. Wei Yan's promotion can be said to be like riding a rocket, he just took over the post of Yamen general from Zhao Yun, and it didn't take long for him to become a feudal official. And Fa Zheng, who had just surrendered, had a higher position than Zhuge Liang for a while, why is this?
Looking at Huang Zhong again, although he was old, he surrendered to Liu Bei after the Battle of Chibi and made great contributions in the Battle of Hanzhong, Liu Bei not only quickly promoted him to general, but also gave him a knighthood. And although Zhuge Liang was against it, it was to no avail in the end. This kind of rapid promotion and reuse of newcomers, and the relative "cold reception" of veterans, can't help but make people wonder.
Zhao Yun's situation was also quite embarrassing, although he made great achievements in many battles, such as the savior of Changbanpo alone, but he never received the corresponding high reward. It wasn't until after Liu Bei's death that Zhuge Liang named him a marquis, which shows that in Liu Bei's heart, Zhao Yun's position never seemed to be so stable.
What kind of considerations are hidden behind Liu Bei's seemingly abnormal strategy of employing people? One possibility is that in the process of preparing for the establishment of the Shu Han regime, Liu Bei needed to use new blood to stabilize his rule. The newcomers are more loyal to Liu Bei, because their future and glory are completely given by Liu Bei. And because the old generals have a relatively independent power base and network of contacts, they may pose a threat to Liu Bei to some extent.
By promoting newcomers, Liu Bei was able to better grasp the balance of power in the military. This is not only to consolidate the foundation of his own rule, but also a far-sighted political strategy. In this way, Liu Bei was able to redistribute power among different groups of power, ensuring that no single force could hold too much power alone, thus forming a threat to his rule.
Moreover, Liu Bei's employment strategy also reflects his deep understanding and grasp of human nature. In an era full of variables and uncertainties like the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei is obviously more inclined to use newcomers who can be completely relied on and controlled. And these newcomers, due to the lack of an independent foundation, are easier to shape and control, thus becoming loyal tools in Liu Bei's hands.
However, while this strategy may seem effective in the short term, it can be a hidden danger in the long run. Because of over-reliance on newcomers and ignoring the merits and feelings of veterans, it may lead to dissatisfaction and even detachment from morality. This kind of internal instability is extremely dangerous for any regime.
Specific to everyone, such as veterans such as Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, although they are loyal and reliable, in Liu Bei's view, they may lack new ideas and strategies to lead the new situation. And newcomers like Ma Chao and Wei Yan not only bring new strength, but also may bring new thinking patterns and strategic perspectives, which is beneficial to Liu Bei's expansion of territory and realization of his political ambitions.
This way of employing people is not without drawbacks. For example, Wei Yan's independent and unruly personality despite his outstanding abilities eventually led to civil strife in the late Shu Han Dynasty, which also reflected the potential risks of Liu Bei's employment strategy.
Despite this, Liu Bei's way of employing people did help him stabilize the situation and expand his power during the changeable Three Kingdoms period to a certain extent. He tries to find a balance between maintaining loyalty and bringing in new blood by constantly adjusting his strategy. This flexible and prudent employment strategy, at least during his lifetime, provided a lot of assistance for the establishment and development of Shu Han.
Looking back on Liu Bei's way of employing people, it is not difficult for us to find that although there are short-sightedness, it is more about his long-term strategic vision and profound grasp of human nature. By constantly redistributing power between old and new generals, Liu Bei not only succeeded in consolidating his own dominance, but also laid the foundation for Shu Han's short-lived prosperity. The wheels of history roll forward, and both characters and strategies must adapt to the changes of the times. Liu Bei provides us with an excellent case study of modern leadership and management.