根據史記,孫子以一介齊人,上書兵法13章給吳王闔閭。王閱後,請孫子以180名宮女為對象演練兵法,最後孫子終於獲得任用。闔閭是春秋五霸,處理國事不致如此兒戲,但他知道羅致好手(getting good people around him),淘汰不適任的團隊成員(the weakest link in a chain),可以看出成功不是倖致。
例:"We can attribute his success to being in the right place at the right time and getting good people around him. " 「他能出人頭地,是掌握了天時、地利、人和。」
"A good manager knows that his team is only as good as the weakest link in a chain." 「優秀的管理人才,能讓團隊中狀況最差的成員發揮應有的表現。」
這種因了解而分手的狀況,英文叫做「蜜月效應」(honeymoon effect),因為一旦體認對方承諾都是虛假(the perfect illusion),雙方認為「七撿八撿,撿到個賣龍眼」,待下去只有壞事(left the wrong legacy),這對經營團隊,當然是不利的發展。
例:"The reduced team chemistry was a honeymoon effect that did not last." 「成軍不久,團隊精神竟然蕩然無存。」
"To the management, the new sales manager is the perfect illusion because he seems to be exactly what they are looking for." 「新來的銷售經理表現欠佳,公司高層大失所望,因為原本他們對他十分寄予厚望。」
"Charlie was a brilliant man, but the boss believed what he did to save the market share had left the wrong legacy for the company." 「老蔡非常幹練,但他為了市場業績所做的努力,在老闆看來卻適得其反。」
這種「站在球上」任事的高難度技巧(on the ball),卻是找到「俗又大碗」(a gem of a deal)幫手的必要手腕。
1881年發生在亞利桑納領地墓碑鎮上的槍擊案,公認是開拓史最大治安案件。當時警長Wyatt Earp最倚重的幫手,竟然是聲名狼藉的賭博郎中"Doc" Holliday,而後者對警長的保證,就是:"I'll be your Huckleberry.",這句話膾炙人口,但難解,一般認為,Huckleberry是矮小黑木叢,不甚起眼,俗語當成「跟班」來用,這句話等於"I'm just the man you're looking for!"。
羅致好手 打造默契團隊
有這種最佳拍檔,治安當然可以維持。
例:"A CEO in the middle of a heavy business season needs to be on the ball in case of any change or problem with the company." 「旺季來臨,老闆眼明手快地處理事情。」
"I found a gem of a deal to lead my financial department; he came right out of graduate school. He'll have to fire some other people because they cost me much more money." 「有個剛從研究所畢業的小夥子,薪水又低又有幹勁,我叫他去管財務部門,順便幫我去除一些冗員。」