How to Solve Problems Through Human Nature
The blogger gives an example:
Like how to use the software during the investment process, which button to click—these are the operational questions you encounter while investing.
The solution is pretty unrefined: go find the security guard at the bank entrance and offer him a pack of cigarettes. There's nothing you can't find out with a pack of smokes, unless your cigarettes are of such low quality that even the guard won't accept them. You can ask, "Who's the young, approachable person in your bank's wealth management department? I don't need you to do anything for me. With just one pack of cigarettes, I only want to know who that person is. I won't tell anyone what you said, and I won't even ask for their phone number." Then wait until they get off work and go ask for their guidance. I'm very sincere. I have some investment and operational matters I don't understand. Could I bother you and take up your time? I've prepared a day's pay for them as a small token—a little gesture, nothing substantial, just something to show respect."
Did they refuse me? No. Is it because they coveted that money? No.
It's because they coveted that sense of being admired.
The young guy was younger than me. Seeing how sincerely I asked, with money in hand, he said, "Come on, open your laptop, let me see what the problem is." After looking at it, he directly told me, "I can't answer this one. This is overseas stuff. Let me give you someone who knows—it's so-and-so from the bank next door. Here's his number, go ask him yourself." He didn't take my money. I insisted on giving it to him, he kept pushing it back, after a few times I just gave up. But I showed great respect—the guy had already walked far away, and I was still nodding and gesturing, watching him leave, like a Japanese person, just short of bowing. Then I went to the next one and repeated the same routine—a little token, nothing substantial, just something to show respect.... We're Chinese, aren't we? That's all the trickery we need, nothing more sophisticated.
There's no detail that can't be figured out; everything can be clarified.
Why look for someone inside a big bank? Because it's safe—they have a job, and it's a position close to the state sector, relatively stable.
Why choose young, grassroots employees at big banks? Because these operational issues, only grassroots staff are willing to deal with.
When I was in graduate school, why did my advisor like me? Because I'm people-smart and know how to handle things. My advisor went to the US as a visiting scholar and had no time to guide us. Peers were complaining that the advisor never came back and hadn't given any guidance. Every time we published a paper, we had to list him as second author. What did I say? I said this is him protecting us. Listing him as second author is what allows our papers to get published—he's providing academic endorsement. He helped you, and you're blaming him? Later, this got back to the advisor, and he really liked me, thinking this student he'd only met once was people-smart. If you didn't want to stay in the lab and wanted to intern at a company ahead of schedule, he'd go for it—he wouldn't stop you. When graduation defense came, he'd still protect you. The defense committee wouldn't ask you complicated questions or expose you.
Because your advisor had put in a good word: "This is my favorite student, let him pass." Got it? Favorite student—not just any ordinary student.
So this is simple: grassroots wants respect, give them respect;高层 wants understanding, give them understanding.