Having a very threatening deputy with strong business skills and great ambition.

I asked an old fox who has been in the system for decades: How do you handle this kind of person? Do you directly suppress him? The old fox sipped his tea and smiled: Suppression is the stupidest approach; it only fuels his sympathy and counterattack.

I: So what should I do? He: Praise him. No matter what lousy suggestions he makes, you lead the applause; no matter what small mistakes he makes, you show tolerance. You need to praise him in front of the whole company as a genius, as the future successor.

I: Won't that make him even more arrogant? He: Arrogance is the beginning of destruction. When he gets used to being praised and tolerated, he will stop self-updating. You should elevate him to that “false high position,” cut off his access to grassroots operations, and let him indulge in your praise and flattery.

My back went cold at that moment.

Three months later, that deputy made a major mistake in a decision due to being out of touch with reality. When questioned, he couldn’t even align the most basic data. The once sharp and capable person had been spoiled by this hundred days of “praise.”

Destroying a person doesn’t require a knife at all. You just need to give him the illusion that “you are already perfect,” and he will die in his comfort zone.