曹操要处理的第二个关系，德才关系，“德与才”的关系。这个问题也是我们历史上长期以来争论不休的一个问题，就是当一个人才他的德和才不能兼备的时候，哪个是熊掌、哪个是鱼？我们应该选哪个？传统的说法呢，首先我们要德才兼备，这个话没错，但是不能兼备呢？传统的做法是先德后才，但是曹操这个时候相反，他三次下达求贤令，公开提出一个口号，叫做“唯才是举”。“唯才是举”是什么意思呢？就是当德和才一旦发生冲突和矛盾的时候，首先取的是才，而不是德。那么这个说法是很容易引起误解的，所以我们要略加说明，曹操为什么要提出“唯才是举”这样一个口号，而不沿用传统的德才兼备呢？一个很重要的原因就是当时是非常时期，而曹操又是在非常之时行非常之事的非常之人，就不能按常规的这种取才的办法来做。所以曹操有一个说法，他叫做“治平尚德行，有事赏功能”，这什么意思呢？天下太平的时候，我们可以把道德标准放在前面，慢慢地去寻找那些德才兼备的人，但是现在是一个有事的时候，是一个天下不安定的时候，是一个急需人才的时候，这个时候我们要奖赏的是功能，功就是功劳，能就是能力。
The second relationship Cao Cao has to deal with is the relationship between virtue and talent, and the relationship between virtue and talent. This issue has also been debated for a long time in our history. When a talent cannot have both virtue and talent, which is bear’s paw and which is fish? Which should we choose? According to the traditional saying, first of all, we should have both moral integrity and talent. This is true, but can’t we have both? The traditional practice is to be virtuous before others. However, Cao Cao, on the contrary, issued orders to seek excellence three times and publicly put forward a slogan called “Only talent is worth taking”. What does “meritocracy” mean? When there is a conflict or contradiction between virtue and talent, the first choice is talent, not virtue. So this statement is easily misleading, so we need to briefly explain why Cao Cao proposed the slogan “Only talent is necessary” instead of using the traditional concept of combining moral integrity and talent? One important reason was that it was an extraordinary period at that time, and Cao Cao was an extraordinary person who did extraordinary things at extraordinary times, so he could not follow the conventional method of talent selection. So Cao Cao has a saying that he calls it “governing peace and upholding virtue, with the function of rewarding others.” What does this mean? In times of peace in the world, we can put moral standards first and slowly search for those who have both moral integrity and talent. However, now is a time of trouble, of instability in the world, and of urgent need for talent. At this time, we need to reward merit, merit is merit, and ability is ability.
在这个关键时刻我们一定要把功劳和能力放在第一位，而不能够把所谓的道德放在第一位，如果我们把道德放在第一位就可能出现三种情况：第一种，有德无才，道德上倒是无可挑剔，老好人一个，啥也干不了，这种人我拿了有什么用？第二种可能，求全责备，我好容易发现一个人才，大家来提意见说他有一个什么什么毛病，我是用还是不用呢？第三种可能，就是弄虚作假，一个人才为了能够得到晋升的机会只好做政治秀、做道德秀，东汉末年就是这样嘛，东汉末年因为把道德标准放在第一位就有很多人做假，所谓“举孝廉，父别居；举秀才，不识书”嘛，这个是不行的。既然东汉末年有了这样的弊病，曹操在这个非常时期就必须来矫正，而矫枉必须过正，不过正不能矫枉，所以曹操不能说德才兼备，必须说“唯才是举”。
所以曹操三次颁布求贤令，甚至提出这样一个说法，就是只要是一个人才，哪怕不仁不孝，你们都尽管推荐给我。所以曹操在处理德才关系的时候他的做法是：德才兼备、唯才是举。
At this critical moment, we must put merit and ability first, instead of putting so-called morality first. If we put morality first, there may be three situations: first, there is virtue without talent, morally impeccable, a good person can do nothing, what is the use of taking such a person? The second possibility is to seek perfection and blame. It’s easy for me to find a talented person. Everyone comes to suggest what’s wrong with him. Should I use him or not? The third possibility is to resort to fraud. In order to obtain promotion opportunities, a talent has to do political and moral shows. This was the case in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, when many people resorted to fraud because they put moral standards first. The so-called “respecting filial piety and integrity, separating the father from the family; respecting scholar, not knowing books” is not acceptable. Since there were such drawbacks in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao had to correct them during this extraordinary period, and correcting them must be excessive, but correcting them must not be excessive. Therefore, Cao Cao cannot say that he has both moral integrity and talent, but must say that “only talent is necessary.”.
So Cao Cao issued three orders to seek excellence, and even put forward a statement that as long as he is a talented person, even if he is not benevolent or filial, you can recommend him to me. Therefore, when dealing with the relationship between morality and talent, Cao Cao’s approach is to have both moral integrity and talent, and to act only on merit.
＊相对于袁绍用人，曹操用人更注重实际，曹操很明白名声是外在的，德也是相对的，而才对于他的事业发展才是最重要的，所以曹操没有囿于名与实、德与才的无谓的界定与讨论，他径直把用人的指挥棒举向了“唯才是举”。可是人都是有缺点的，当面对一些有小贪毛病和立场不坚定的人才时，曹操又是如何做的呢？
曹操的用人政策三：重用清官不避小贪
Compared to Yuan Shao, Cao Cao paid more attention to reality in employing people. Cao Cao clearly understood that reputation is external and morality is relative, and talent is the most important for his career development. Therefore, Cao Cao was not limited to the unnecessary definition and discussion of fame and reality, morality and talent, and he directly raised the baton of employing people to “talent only.”. However, everyone has shortcomings. When faced with some talented people who have petty greed and unstable positions, how does Cao Cao do it?
Cao Cao’s Employment Policy III: Employing Clean Officials without Avoiding Small Corruption
