其实重要的不是曹操怎么做，而是他为什么要这样做，也就是说重要的不是用人之术，而是用人之道。“道”是什么呢？道就是人性，就是人心。曹操用人之道的核心就是：洞察人性，洞悉人心。他太了解人是怎么回事了，他知道他的将士们跟着他出生入死是为了什么，因此有“以功归人，以奖励人”。他知道人都是有弱点的，也都是有缺点的，因此有“以法治人，以宽容人”。他也知道人是理性的动物，人在大多数情况下都是通情达理的，因此有“以理服人，以信取人”。他还知道人是有感情的，有时候感情的维系比利益的维系更重要，更起作用，因此有“以诚待人，以情感人”。所以曹操了不起的地方，不在于他的术，那些具体的做法，而在于他的道，而在于他对人心、人性的透彻地理解和把握。
In fact, the important thing is not how Cao Cao did it, but why he did it. That is to say, the important thing is not the skill of using people, but the way of using people. What is “Tao”? The Tao is human nature and the human heart. The core of Cao Cao’s method of employing people is to gain insight into human nature and the human heart. “He knows too well what is going on with people, and he knows why his soldiers followed him through life and death. Therefore, there is a concept of ‘returning to people with merit and rewarding them with rewards’.”. “He knows that everyone has weaknesses and shortcomings, so there is a rule of law and tolerance.”. He also knew that human beings are rational animals, and in most cases they are reasonable. Therefore, there is a concept of “persuading people by reason, and selecting people by faith.”. He also knows that people have emotions, and sometimes the maintenance of emotions is more important and effective than the maintenance of interests. Therefore, there is “treating people with sincerity and moving people with emotion.”. So the great thing about Cao Cao lies not in his skills, but in his specific methods, but in his Tao, but in his thorough understanding and grasp of the human heart and humanity.
有一个例子很能说明问题，就是官渡之战之后，曹操缴获了袁绍大量的图书、资料、文件、书信，就发现其中有自己的人写给袁绍的信。按照一般人的反应，这是通敌的证据，这是背叛的证据，应该把这些信都拿出来一个一个地按图索骥，把那些叛徒，把那些有二心的，把那些动摇分子，都给我揪出来，曹操没有，曹操发现有这么一堆书信以后，看都不看，立即下令全部烧毁。曹操这个事情做的是太漂亮了，当时很多人不理解，就问曹操，你为什么要把这么重要的证据都毁掉了？曹操说，哎呀，算了吧，说老实话我和袁绍作战是以弱胜强，袁绍是强势，我是弱势，那个时候连我曹操自己老实说心里都没底，我都没有把握能不能打胜这一仗，何况大家呢？很正常嘛！曹操这手做得实在是聪明，聪明在什么地方呢？他很清楚，当时的形势就是他说的那个情况，那么既然是那样一个情况，当时秘密和袁绍有来往的，肯定不是一个小数，不是一个两个、三个五个，弄不好就是几十个、上百个，这些人你都清算，你清算不了，既然清算不了，不如干脆不清算，我不但不清算，我连把柄我都不拿在手里，我当着你的面我没有拆封，我没有看，我不知道有谁在勾结袁绍，我现在把证据全部烧毁，大家放心好了，只要以后你跟着我曹某人，忠心耿耿，以前的事我不知道，人情做到底了。曹操很清楚，在这样复杂的政治斗争当中，有些时候是要装糊涂的，装糊涂才能宽容人，宽容人才能得人心，得人心才能的天下，所以叫做老白姓有句话说“不哑不聋不做阿公”，有时候就是要装聋作哑。洞悉人心、洞察人性已经不容易，设身处地、将心比心就更不容易，更为难得的是曹操在做这些事情的时候，比方说他销毁这些证据，他奖励他手下的将领，他给自己的缺点错误做检讨，他感谢那些给他提意见的人，他做这些所有事情的时候，他做得坦诚，大气，自然，实在，一点没有装腔作势的样子，这就太难了。
One example is very illustrative. After the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao captured a large number of books, materials, documents, and letters from Yuan Shao, and found that there were letters written to Yuan Shao by his own people. According to the reaction of ordinary people, this is evidence of collusion with the enemy, and this is evidence of betrayal. We should take out these letters one by one and follow the plan. We should find out those traitors, those who have ulterior motives, and those who waver. Cao Cao did not. After Cao found such a pile of letters, he did not even read them, and immediately ordered them to be burned. “What Cao Cao did was so beautiful. At that time, many people didn’t understand, so they asked Cao Cao, why did you destroy such important evidence?”? Cao Cao said, “Oh, forget it. To be honest, I fought with Yuan Shao to defeat the strong with the weak. Yuan Shao was strong, and I was weak. At that time, even Cao Cao himself honestly didn’t have a clue. I wasn’t sure if I could win this battle, let alone everyone.”? It’s normal! Cao Cao is really clever at this. Where is his cleverness? He was very clear that the situation at that time was exactly what he had said. Since that was the case, the clandestine dealings with Yuan Shao at that time must not be a decimal point, not a two or three or five, or even dozens or hundreds of them if they were not properly handled. You cannot liquidate these people, and you cannot liquidate them. Since you cannot liquidate them, why not liquidate them altogether? Not only do I not liquidate them, but I do not even have the handle in my hand, “I didn’t open the envelope in front of you, I didn’t read it, I didn’t know who was colluding with Yuan Shao. Now I have burned all the evidence, so everyone can rest assured that as long as you follow me and be loyal to someone else, I don’t know anything about the past, and the favor has been done to the end.”. Cao Cao is very clear that in such a complex political struggle, sometimes it is necessary to pretend to be confused, and only by pretending to be confused can one tolerate others, and only by being tolerant can one win the hearts of the people, and gain the talents of the people in the world. Therefore, there is a saying in the name of the old Bai surname, “Don’t be dumb, don’t be deaf, don’t be a grandfather.” Sometimes it is necessary to pretend to be deaf and dumb. “It is no longer easy to gain insight into the human heart and human nature, but it is even harder to put oneself in a position and compare one’s heart to another. What is even more rare is that when Cao Cao did these things, such as destroying these evidences, rewarding his generals, reviewing his shortcomings and mistakes, and thanking those who gave him advice, he did all these things honestly, generously, naturally, and realistically, without any pretence,”, This is too difficult.
＊曹操能够洞察人性，洞悉人心，也就掌握了用人之道。曹操掌握了用人之道，也就知道了手下的人才最需要什么。当曹操知道了人才的需求，也就知道了他能够给予人才什么。因此说到底，曹操的用人之道也就是他的做人之道，那么曹操的做人之道究竟是什么呢？
Cao Cao was able to gain insight into human nature and the human heart, and thus mastered the way of employing people. Once Cao Cao mastered the art of employing people, he knew what the talents under his command needed most. When Cao Cao knows the needs of talent, he knows what he can give to talent. So in the final analysis, Cao Cao’s way of employing people is also his way of being a person. So what exactly is Cao Cao’s way of being a person?
