Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 419: The Conflict Between the 12 Hands-on Members Deepens

Wu Zhiyuan nodded and said, "Yes, I have communicated with several members of the Standing Committee about some ideas regarding the management of the pedestrian street, and listened to their opinions. County Magistrate Jimin and Director Haidong are two of them."

"Communicating work plans and listening to opinions is normal and necessary," Liang Dongming said, then changed the subject. "However, some colleagues have reported that the communication methods have exceeded the scope of normal work exchanges, even involving some personal materials?"

Wu Zhiyuan remained silent for a few seconds.

The fact that Liang Dongming came to talk in person, and was so straightforward, shows that Chen Jimin and Deng Haidong have completely sided with the other side and told Liang Dongming everything.

"Secretary Liang, when I communicated with County Head Jimin and Director Haidong, we had a fairly in-depth exchange and discussed some obstacles and problems that we might encounter in our work."

The goal is to unify thinking and better promote the work.

If any of the methods or approaches have caused any misunderstanding or discomfort among my comrades, I apologize.

But I can assure you that all exchanges were conducted with the public interest in mind and for the sake of Qingyan's work.

Liang Dongming glanced at Wu Zhiyuan.

This young man was indeed calm and composed, and his words were perfectly tactful.

"Zhiyuan, I believe your initial intention was for the sake of your work, but the methods and approaches are very important."

Comrades can criticize and help each other, but it must be done openly and in accordance with organizational procedures.

We must never resort to underhanded tactics, and even less should we exploit non-principle-related flaws in a comrade's personal life as a means to achieve our work objectives. This is the bottom line, and also the red line!

Liang Dongming took a sip of water and continued, "Today, you may feel that you used some method to get some comrades to support your opinion and pass your plan at the Standing Committee meeting."

But have you ever thought about what the consequences of this method would be?

It is the breakdown of trust among comrades, the weakening of team cohesion, and the pollution of the political environment!

This time it's a pedestrian street, but what about next time? And the time after that?

If everyone follows suit, what will Qingyan's leadership team become? Will they still be able to focus on development and reform?

Liang Dongming's tone became resolute: "As the county party secretary, I will absolutely not allow this kind of trend to grow in Qingyan!"

Criticism is welcome for any comrade, including myself, Liang Dongming. If anyone has shortcomings or makes mistakes, we should resolutely correct them.

However, criticism should be based on public interest, and help should be sincere, with the aim of learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and curing the disease to save the patient.

If you have faults, correct them; if you don't, strive to improve. This is the correct attitude towards comrades.

Instead of using a magnifying glass to find fault with others, or even using abnormal means to obtain their privacy as a bargaining chip.

This is not how comrades should get along, and it is certainly not the mindset and behavior that our leading cadres should have!

Liang Dongming softened his tone: "Zhiyuan, you are still young, energetic, and eager to get things done, which are your strengths."

But the more you want to get things done, the more you need to pay attention to methods, abide by rules, and maintain unity.

The development of Qingyan cannot rely on one person, nor on a small circle; it requires the concerted efforts of our entire leadership team and the vast number of cadres and the masses throughout the county.

If our top leaders are suspicious of each other and undermine each other, what will the people below think? How can we get our work done?

Wu Zhiyuan listened quietly without interrupting.

Liang Dongming's lengthy remarks are not only criticism, but also a warning.

He must respond, and his response must be measured.

After Liang Dongming finished speaking, Wu Zhiyuan slowly opened his mouth and said, "Secretary Liang, your words just now were very earnest and touched me deeply. They have also taught me a lot."

In particular, you taught me an important lesson in maintaining team unity, abiding by organizational discipline, and paying attention to working methods.

I admit that in the communication and advancement of some specific tasks, I may have been a bit too eager for quick results, and my methods and approaches were not comprehensive enough. Sometimes I was too direct, which may have put unnecessary pressure on some colleagues.

This is something I need to seriously reflect on and make concrete improvements in my future work.

However, Secretary Liang, you taught us to carry out our work openly and transparently, in accordance with organizational procedures.

I wholeheartedly agree with this and will put it into practice.

I believe that when Comrade Jimin and Comrade Haidong reported the situation to you, they were doing so with a sense of responsibility to the organization and their comrades, hoping for a better leadership team and smoother operations.

I understand this, and I appreciate their reminder.

Because it needs to be done in the open, some principles must also be made public.

Secretary Liang, you have just arrived in Qingyan and may still be learning about many things.

But I can responsibly report to you that every day I worked in Qingyan, every thing I did, and every penny I handled, I strived to withstand the scrutiny of the organization, the supervision of the masses, and the test of history.

When I communicate about work and promote projects, my starting point is always the same: the development of Qingyan and the interests of its people.

In this process, I may have had methodological flaws, but I had absolutely no selfish motives or ulterior motives.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "By the same token, I think every comrade in our team, no matter who they are or what position they hold, should keep the five words 'able to withstand scrutiny' in mind and put them into practice."

The power we hold is given by the people and is meant to serve the people, not to be a tool for personal gain, much less a bargaining chip for forming cliques or exchanging favors.

For Qingyan to have a clean political environment, it must start with our county leaders themselves. If they act uprightly, sit honestly, and are selfless, they will naturally not fear any form of understanding or communication.

"Secretary Liang, you just mentioned that we should not use non-principle, personal flaws of comrades as a means of control. That is very true."

But I would also like to add a point: as Party cadres, especially leading cadres, can they really distinguish between life and work, minor matters and major matters?

When the public judges officials, they look not only at the reports given on stage, but also at their character off stage.

Trust is built not only by work ability, but also by good character.

Sometimes, seemingly non-essential details are precisely the touchstone of Party principles and personal integrity.

If we ourselves are unclean, yet demand that others be in the sunlight, that sunlight will likely expose them completely, making them feel uncomfortable.

He smiled and continued, "Of course, I believe that our Qingyan team as a whole is good, and the vast majority of our comrades are able to uphold the bottom line and maintain integrity and self-discipline."

But as the saying goes, a clear conscience fears no accusation. As long as each of us can act with a clear conscience.

Therefore, any normal work communication, no matter how in-depth or direct, will only be a frank exchange between comrades and a necessary process for unifying thoughts. It will never become some kind of underhanded maneuver or bargaining chip.

Conversely, if one has a guilty conscience and is prone to overthinking, even the most normal organizational conversation will likely feel like a thorn in one's side.

Wu Zhiyuan concluded by saying, "Therefore, Secretary Liang, I fully accept your criticism regarding the importance of working methods and approaches, and I will strive to improve."

However, I would also like to take this opportunity to state my position:

For the sake of Qingyan's development, and to live up to the trust of the organization and the people, I must adhere to the principles that should be upheld, promote the work that should be promoted, and understand the relevant information within the scope of organizational principles.

If, in the process, we inadvertently touch upon areas that some comrades do not wish to be touched upon, or cause some comrades who are accustomed to gray areas and conflicts of interest to feel pressure and discomfort.

Then I can only say that this kind of pressure may be a harbinger of a clean and upright atmosphere.

This discomfort may be a signal that some people need to examine themselves and turn back from the wrong path...

Liang Dongming remained silent for a long time.

He realized he had underestimated the young county magistrate.

Wu Zhiyuan is not only calm but also very politically astute. His response was reasonable, well-founded, and measured, and he elevated the topic to the level of political ecology and the integrity of officials, making his previous criticisms seem short-sighted.

Liang Dongming said calmly, "Zhiyuan, it's good that you have this kind of understanding and reflection."

This shows that our communication was effective and that we had the same goal: to do a good job in Qingyan and build a strong team.

A selfless heart makes the world a better place. As long as we are all acting in the public interest and for the sake of Qingyan, any differences in working methods can be resolved through communication.

Liang Dongming took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Zhiyuan, I'm a few years older than you, so I'm your older brother in terms of age. I want to have a few heartfelt words with you."

The officialdom is like the sea, with its ebb and flow; there are smooth sailing moments, but also hidden currents and reefs.

Sometimes, when a wave comes crashing in, whether you ride the wave to a higher level or get swept underwater depends entirely on how well you grasp the wind direction and how well you keep the rudder steady.

Especially at the grassroots level, the situation is complex and interconnected, where a small change can have far-reaching consequences.

Many things are not simply black and white; too much clarity leaves no room for fish.

He paused, observing Wu Zhiyuan's reaction. Seeing that Wu Zhiyuan's expression was calm, he continued, "Take the comrades in the team for example. No one is perfect. Who can guarantee that they have no flaws in their growth, work, or life?"

Some minor problems should be tolerated if they can be, and opportunities should be given to correct them if they can be corrected.

Unity is paramount; the fighting capacity of a team is primarily reflected in its cohesion.

If we push a comrade into a corner, embarrass them, or even cause them to harbor resentment because of some minor personal issues, what good will that do for our work? What good will it do for the development of Qingyan?

My thought is that we should let bygones be bygones. Let's all look forward.

Knowing when to stop and when to stop is true wisdom.

Sometimes, taking a step back is not a sign of weakness, but rather a means to achieve greater progress and maintain overall stability.

After listening, Wu Zhiyuan said, "I will keep Secretary Liang's heartfelt words in mind."

You are the class monitor, the eldest brother. I understand and appreciate your efforts in talking about stability and unity from the perspective of the overall situation.

Grassroots work is complex and multifaceted, requiring patience and wisdom; some things cannot be rushed.

However, I must also frankly tell you my thoughts.

Secretary Liang, you said that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. This principle is true in some respects.

Some things really shouldn't be taken too seriously; if you take them too seriously, things will just get stuck.

However, Secretary Liang, if the water is too clear, there will be no fish; if the water is too muddy, the fish will not survive either.

If the water is too murky, it will lack oxygen and be toxic. Not only will the fish not survive, but they will also rot in it, and the whole river will stink.

Although I didn't stay in Qingyan for long, I could sense that the water in this pool was somewhat murky.

Some fish were barely breathing. Others had been rotting inside for so long that it was impossible to tell if they were fish or just mud.

You just said that taking a step back is not a sign of weakness, but rather for the sake of overall stability.

However, I want to say that in some matters, taking a step back is not about stability, but about indulgence;

Sometimes, enduring something for a short time won't bring peace; it will lead to endless troubles.

Liang Dongming spoke, his tone neither warm nor cold: "I heard everything you said."

You have your own ideas and your own convictions, and that's good.

It's a good thing for young people to have principles and a bottom line.

He stood up: "I've said everything I needed to say, and I've given all the reminders I needed to give."

You are a smart person; you should know what you should and shouldn't do.

As for what you think and do, that's your freedom.

Alright, let's stop here for today.

Liang Dongming is gone.

Wu Zhiyuan knew that this conversation had not only failed to mend the conflicts and rifts, but had instead deepened them and made them even more difficult to reconcile.

Liang Dongming returned to his office and, after much deliberation, decided to meet with his backer, Wu Bao.

After he arrived in Qingyan, he needed Wu Bao to support him.

Our first stop was the pedestrian street.

If Wu Bao had clearly supported strict management of pedestrian streets, would Wu Zhiyuan still have been able to stir up trouble?