＊曹操的用人方法是灵活多变的，因为他明白非常之时需要非常之人，所以在曹操手下，各类人才都可以找到自己的位置，可以说是人尽其才，物尽其用。可是如果这种人才可以用，那种人才也可以用，那曹操不就成了好好先生了吗？面对着形形色色的人才，曹操是如何把握用人这个度的呢？曹操用人的秘诀究竟是什么呢？
Cao Cao’s method of employing people is flexible and changeable, because he understands that extraordinary people are needed in times of emergency. Therefore, under Cao Cao’s leadership, various talents can find their own positions, which can be said to be the best use of talents and materials. But if this kind of talent can be used, and that kind of talent can also be used, wouldn’t Cao Cao become a good gentleman? Facing various talents, how did Cao Cao grasp the degree of employment? What is the secret of Cao Cao’s employment?
曹操的用人政策五：抓大放小不拘小节
第五个关系，是“大与小”的关系，所谓大小是指什么呢？大德和小节。那么曹操的做法是什么呢？抓大放小、不拘小节。比方说有个叫文聘的，这个人是刘表的部下，刘表派他驻守北方。刘表死了以后刘表的儿子刘琮接班，这个时候在赤壁之战之前，曹操南下，刘琮马上就投降了曹操，然后跟文聘说我们一起投降曹操吧。文聘不去，一直守着，一直到曹操南下过了汉水，文聘才去见曹操。曹操这个时候就半开玩笑地说，文聘兄，你怎么来得这么晚呢？文聘非常严肃地说，曹公啊，我原来是跟随刘荆州——刘荆州就是指刘表——我是跟随刘荆州报效国家的人，我没有做到这一点非常惭愧，因此我只想守住我那个地方，以便既无愧于地下九泉的人，就是指刘表，也无愧于他托给我的孤儿，就是指刘琮，我是万般无奈才落到今天这个地步来见你的，我哪有心思、我又哪有脸面早早地来见你呢？说完号啕大哭。曹操一听，肃然起敬，也陪着流下眼泪，然后说文聘啊，你是个忠臣啊，这样吧，你做江夏太守吧。于是文聘就在江夏太守的任上一干几十年，当然他的爵位步步高升，由关内侯而亭侯，而乡侯，而县侯，侯爵的爵位是升上去了，但是一直在做江夏太守，替曹操守住了这个咽喉要地，击败了关羽，击败了孙权。那么曹操看重文聘的是什么呢？大节，忠啊，忠就是一个最大的道德，所以不能说曹操不重视道德。
Cao Cao’s Employment Policy 5: Pay Attention to the Large and Release the Small, and Don’t Stick to the Small
The fifth relationship is the relationship between “big and small”. What does size mean? Great virtue and small measure. So what did Cao Cao do? Pay attention to the big and let go of the small. For example, there is a man named Wenpin, who is a subordinate of Liu Biao, who sent him to guard the north. After Liu Biao’s death, Liu Cong, Liu Biao’s son, took over. At this time, before the Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao went south. Liu Cong immediately surrendered to Cao Cao, and then told Wen Pin that let’s surrender to Cao Cao together. Wen Pin did not go, but kept watching until Cao Cao crossed the Han River south. Wen Pin did not go to see Cao Cao until he passed. “At this moment, Cao Cao said half jokingly, Brother Wenpin, why are you so late?”? Wen Pin said very seriously, Duke Cao, I used to follow Liu Jingzhou – Liu Jingzhou means Liu Biao – I was a person who followed Liu Jingzhou to serve the country, and I was very ashamed that I didn’t do this. Therefore, I just wanted to defend my place, so that I was not only worthy of the people in the underground Jiuquan, that is, Liu Biao, but also worthy of the orphan he entrusted to me, that is, Liu Cong. I had no choice but to come to see you today, How could I have the heart and the face to come to see you early? After saying that, he burst into tears. Upon hearing this, Cao Cao stood in awe, accompanied by tears, and then said, “Wen Pin, you are a loyal minister. This way, you can be the governor of Jiangxia.”. So Wen Pin worked as the governor of Jiangxia for several decades. Of course, his rank rose gradually, from the rank of Guan Nei Hou to that of Ting Hou, to that of Xiang Hou, Xian Hou, and Marquis. However, he has been serving as the governor of Jiangxia, defending this vital position for Cao Cao, defeating Guan Yu, and defeating Sun Quan. So what does Cao Cao value in literary employment? Da Jie, loyalty, loyalty is one of the greatest virtues, so it cannot be said that Cao Cao does not attach importance to morality.
但是对于小节呢？曹操主张睁只眼闭只眼。曹操手下有一个很重要的谋士叫做郭嘉，郭嘉这个人可能行为是不太检点的，多次被一个负责纪律检查的官员叫陈群的当众指责，郭嘉依然故我。曹操也信任如故，但是同时曹操又奖励陈群，就是曹操既不去处分郭嘉和干预郭嘉，也不去指责郭嘉，也不要求郭嘉改正他的私人生活行为不检点的这样一个缺点，同时他又对陈群说你这样是对的。那这叫什么呢？这就叫抓大放小，曹操心里非常清楚一点，就是道德的底线必须坚守，如果你不坚守道德的底线，结果是满朝都是小人，这是曹操要表扬和肯定陈群的原因，就是陈群你坚守道德的底线，你批评作风不正派、行为不检点的人这是对的！但是曹操又明白另一个道理，就是你不能纠缠鸡毛蒜皮，因为世界上没有十全十美的人，任何人都是有缺点、有错误、有毛病，所以这个事情也不能做。所以曹操的这个做法不是和稀泥，也不是搞平衡，也不是各打五十大板，也不是我们一般人理解的所谓中庸之道，而应该说是得中庸之精髓，中庸精髓讲什么？讲“有经有权”，就是有些东西是常规的，有些东西是权宜的，不能认准一个死理。
But what about small sections? Cao Cao advocated keeping one eye open and one eye closed. Cao Cao’s subordinates had a very important counselor named Guo Jia, who may have behaved inappropriately. He was repeatedly publicly criticized by an official in charge of discipline inspection, Chen Qun, and Guo Jia remained the same. Cao Cao also trusted Chen Qun as before, but at the same time, Cao Cao rewarded Chen Qun. That is, Cao Cao neither punished Guo Jia or interfered with Guo Jia, nor criticized Guo Jia, nor required Guo Jia to correct such a defect as his disorderly behavior in private life. At the same time, he told Chen Qun that you were right. So what’s this called? This is called grasping the big and letting go of the small. Cao Cao is very clear in his heart that the bottom line of morality must be adhered to. If you do not adhere to the bottom line of morality, the result is that all the dynasties are villains. This is the reason why Cao Cao wants to praise and affirm Chen Qun. It is Chen Qun that you adhere to the bottom line of morality, and you are right to criticize those who have an improper style and conduct! But Cao Cao also understood another truth, that is, you cannot pester trivial matters, because there is no perfect person in the world, and everyone has shortcomings, mistakes, and shortcomings, so this matter cannot be done. So Cao Cao’s approach is not muddled, nor is it about balancing, nor is it about playing 50 different games, nor is it about the so-called middle way that most people understand, but rather about achieving the essence of the middle way. What does the essence of the middle way mean? When we speak of “having experience and power,” we mean that some things are routine and some things are expedient, and we cannot recognize a dead reason.
这就是曹操在处理五种关系的做法，在这个做法的背后我们看到的是什么呢？看到的是曹操的大气，其实曹操的用人之术也好，用人之道也好，归根结底就是两个字——大气，也就是我们通常所说的海纳百川，有容乃大。大海嘛，大海为什么大？就因为江河流入大海的时候可以泥沙俱下，可以鱼龙混杂。一个大海它能不能说，我大海是不能够接受污水的，我只能接受清纯的矿泉水？那就不成其为大海了。曹操恰恰就是有这样大海一样宽阔的胸怀，君自我要，小人我也用，用什么？用其所长，只要大德不亏、大节不亏，什么生活作风问题、行为做派问题、言行举止问题，睁一只眼闭一只眼，不要去管他。人上一百，形形色色，哪有什么清一色的队伍呢？水至清则无鱼，人至差则无徒，峣峣者易折，佼佼者易污，把自己弄得太纯净、太干净不是好事情，尤其是作为一个要成就大业的人，千万不要追求什么清一色。
This is Cao Cao’s approach to handling the five relationships. What do we see behind this approach? What we see is the atmosphere of Cao Cao. In fact, Cao Cao’s skill and way of employing people are ultimately two words – atmosphere, which is what we commonly call the sea embracing all rivers, and the capacity is great. The sea, why is it big? Because when rivers flow into the sea, they can mix mud and sand, and fish and dragons can mix. Can a sea say that my sea cannot accept sewage, I can only accept pure mineral water? That would not make it the sea. Cao Cao precisely has such a broad mind as the sea. He wants it from himself, and I also use it for villains. What is it for? To use their strengths, as long as they do not lose their moral integrity and integrity, they should turn a blind eye to any issues related to their style of life, conduct, or behavior. Don’t worry about them. There are hundreds of people in all shapes and sizes, and how can there be any uniform team? “When the water is pure, there is no fish, when the person is poor, there is no apprentice, when the person is poor, it is easy to fold, and when the person is outstanding, it is easy to pollute. It is not a good thing to make oneself too pure and clean, especially as a person who wants to achieve great things, never pursue any uniformity.”.
