Volume Two: The Path to Azure Clouds – 26. The Sales Battlefield (Part I)

Turning back to the situation at the factory, as the second half of 2002 began, the Oriental Chemical Plant appeared to be operating as usual on the surface. In reality, however, the factory was facing a dire sales predicament. Its product advantages were no longer distinct, and with many competitors—especially private enterprises—leveraging their cost advantages, the factory was struggling to compete on price. Meanwhile, the sales department remained passive, waiting for customers to come to them, with neither their policies nor their methods seeing any change. As customers drifted away and the market continued to shrink, it became clear by the end of the year that the annual sales target would not be met, marking the first decline in revenue since the plant's inception.

With procurement already optimized and little room left for further cost cutting, the slump in sales would inevitably lead to a decline in profits—a scenario no one wanted to see. Factory Director Shi, a man who had risen through the ranks of production and always prioritized cost control, found himself forced to shift his focus toward sales. Rumors circulated that Director Shi was about to take action.

I never imagined that these rumors would involve me. Before New Year’s, Director Shi summoned me for a talk and announced his decision to appoint me as the Deputy Director of the Supply and Marketing Division, specifically in charge of sales. This was truly unexpected.

Since taking office, Director Shi had focused on procurement, production, and cost management, but he had seemingly neglected sales. The management and policies in that sector had remained largely unchanged since the era of Gao Huqiang. Furthermore, even the adjustments to the sales structure and agency policies that Gao had planned—based on my earlier suggestions (though nominally proposed by Diao Youhua, Director Shi had later learned they were mine)—had been shelved. To make matters worse, Director Shi had extended his strict cost-control measures into the sales department, which had severely dampened the morale of the sales team.

The current crisis, however, forced Director Shi to reconsider. My appointment as the Deputy Director of the Supply and Marketing Division signaled that he was finally prioritizing sales and preparing for a major overhaul.

Thus, just after the 2002 National Day holiday, shortly after finishing my graduate studies and having served as a section-level manager for only two years, I was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Supply and Marketing Division. At the age of thirty-two, I became the youngest division-level official in the factory.

As the only graduate-degree holder in the plant, and having been promoted three times in less than four years, everyone knew what this meant. I suddenly became the most sought-after person in the factory. My new, independent office was bustling with visitors, a stark contrast to the days when I worked in the workshop, where I was ignored and left to my own devices.

Although countless people now showered me with flattery and compliments, I remained calm. Perhaps this was due to the years I spent tempering myself in the workshop during my more difficult times. While I might not yet have reached a state of complete indifference to favor or humiliation, I had at least learned to maintain a basic composure in the face of success and failure.

I recalled the words of Song Dagang: the most important thing for a leader is not power or status, but responsibility. At that moment, I understood this more deeply. Faced with the severe sales crisis, I felt the heavy weight of the responsibility resting on my shoulders.

On the procurement side, I recommended Xia Shuyong to succeed me as the deputy section chief. I also recommended Zhou Dezhi for a transfer from the Storage and Transportation Division to become the chief of the Second Procurement Section. I could never forget that when I was at my lowest, when everyone else kept their distance, he was the only one who offered me comfort. That moved me deeply, but more importantly, his integrity was unimpeachable—the most vital quality in procurement. Li Zhengjiang was also assigned to the Second Procurement Section to assist Zhou. Upon my persistent recommendation, the factory granted Li the status of a full section chief, for which he was incredibly grateful. With the procurement team fully staffed and the systems well-established, the workflow was smooth and stable, allowing me to leave with peace of mind.

Taking this position meant I was now the direct superior of Lin Xiaolong. This was initially awkward for him, but he adjusted quickly, abandoning his former attitude toward me when I was in the Second Sales Section and becoming exceptionally respectful.

On my first day as Deputy Director, Lin Xiaolong rushed into my office, calling me "Director Wang" at every turn and insisting on reporting his work to me.

I looked at him with a faint, enigmatic smile and said, "Teacher Lin, you were my mentor, after all. When I first graduated, I learned quite a bit from you."

"Not at all, not at all." I could see a flicker of anxiety in Lin, but he quickly returned to his obsequious, smiling demeanor. This satisfied me; at least he still held a sense of awe toward me.

"It was all due to your own intelligence, Director Wang. My meager experience is not worth mentioning in your presence. From now on, I will look to you for guidance and instruction. If I perform poorly in the future, please do not hesitate to criticize me. I want to state clearly that I fully support your work—any directive you give, I will execute, and if I don't understand it, I will execute it first and try to understand it along the way," Lin continued.

Seeing Lin Xiaolong’s sycophantic expression and hearing his earnest tone—so different from his previous glibness—I felt like laughing, but I held it in. Although I remembered clearly how he had treated me in the past, one must look forward. As a leader, one must have a broad mind; Lin had his merits, and a leader’s job is to utilize those merits. As long as he kept his attitude in check, why not accept his support?

I replied, "Not at all, Teacher Lin. You are a veteran of the sales department, and I will be relying on your experience for much of our work ahead."

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I will follow wherever you lead, Director Wang. Also, would you mind not calling me 'Teacher'? I really cannot accept that."

"But you were my teacher."

"That’s not true; we were just working together. If you think highly of me, just call me 'Xiao Long'," he said, appearing very sincere.

"How about this? I won't call you 'Teacher', and I won't call you 'Section Chief Lin'. I'll just call you 'Old Lin'. How does that sound?"

Considering Lin was seven or eight years my senior and a section chief in his own right, calling him "Xiao Long" felt inappropriate, so I settled on this. It was a negotiation in appearance, but in reality, it was my decision—a way to clearly define our relationship.

"Director Wang, it is my honor if you call me 'Old Lin'. Now, Director Wang, would you like me to report on our work?"

"Tell you what, I’ve just taken over, and there are several matters I need to attend to. How about this: when I have a free moment, I’ll call you in to get an update, how does that sound?"

In truth, I could have spared the time to listen to him, but as a newly appointed leader, it was necessary to let him wait a bit, given his past behavior. It was important to let him know his place—that it wasn't up to him to decide when to report, but rather that he would report when I commanded it. My position now ensured that I held the initiative.

Sometimes I feel I have become vulgar, adopting these "leadership arts" that I used to disdain. Yet, I also realize that a leader must know how to manage people, and without a bit of such "art," it’s hard to get things done. Especially with an "old fox" like Lin Xiaolong, one must strike a balance—showing appropriate closeness while maintaining a certain distance to keep things under control.