- Yu Rang, “Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Assassins” Sun Tzu’s Art of War states: “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.” Bosses are also human, some with much wealth, some with little, some ambitious, some focused on preserving their business, some with good tempers, some with bad. In different environments, they exhibit the myriad facets of human nature, thus giving rise to various types of bosses.
Many current employees focus on their career positioning and the cultivation of their education and abilities, so they are very cautious when choosing an industry. After years of sharpening their sword, they seek a good job, only to find a boss who doesn’t know how to use talent, wasting two years, achieving nothing, and losing all their vigor. The same Shang Yang, when in the state of Wei, was not valued, even though the prime minister Gongshu Zuo repeatedly recommended him to Duke Hui of Wei, who paid him no heed, not even bothering to kill him. But when Shang Yang reached the state of Qin, he was immediately valued by Duke Xiao of Qin, implemented reforms, and made Qin strong. However, after Duke Xiao’s death, when Shang Yang assisted Duke Huiwen of Qin to the throne, this new duke, just after ascending, had Shang Yang “torn apart by five horses,” commonly known as being quartered. This Shang Yang was the same person, but under different leaders, he received different treatments. Therefore, many people now understand: While education levels vary and industries offer different treatments, what’s more important is finding a good boss.
