企业家是国家英雄

企业家精神是创新精神，是冒险精神，更是坚守精神。真正的企业家应站得更高，关注国家和民族命运、关心社会发展，敢于担当责任、充满职业精神，把经营企业作为终身事业，而不是升官发财的跳板。
年轻时，我非常崇拜美国商界传奇人物亚科卡。亚科卡曾受雇于福特公司，被福特二世无故解雇，饱受屈辱，后来成为克莱斯勒总裁，将该公司从死亡边缘拯救出来。亚科卡有一本书，最早翻译到中国叫《反败为胜》，后来更名为《亚科卡传》。当年，读到这本书扉页上的一段话，我被感动得热血沸腾：“我理解，在这个世界上没有不付代价的午餐。我理解家庭温暖对一个人的重要。我理解，不管遇到天崩地陷都要勇往直前。”
在做企业的道路上，这段话一直激励着我前行。每当遇到困难和挫折，我总会想到亚科卡身上的那种企业家精神——反败为胜、不折不挠、一往无前的英雄主义精神。企业家需要这种信念和精神，因为做企业不可能一片坦途、繁花似锦，企业家会经常站在悬崖峭壁上。所以英特尔公司的前总裁安迪·格罗夫说，即使到今天我还是战战兢兢地经营，如履薄冰。
除了亚科卡之外，日本战后也升起一大批耀眼的企业明星，像松下幸之助、本田宗一郎、盛田昭夫、稻盛和夫等，他们身上也都有着浓郁的英雄主义精神。
对于中国而言，改革开放以来，中国的企业家群体快速崛起，涌现出很多企业领军人物。比如大家关注和熟知的柳传志、张瑞敏等企业家，都可以称为时下的英雄。在长期的实践过程中，中国的企业家们且行且思，不仅带出了一大批优秀企业，而且积累了成功的管理经验。这些经验既有中国特色，也有国际水平；既是我们民族的，也是全人类的，对世界企业管理实践有着积极的借鉴意义。
当前，中国已迈入大企业时代，这个时代需要更多的优秀企业家，更多的企业英雄。西方有亚科卡、乔布斯，中华民族也应有自己的企业英雄，自己的世界顶级企业家。有企业英雄，才有英雄的企业，有英雄的企业，才有英雄的国家。
企业英雄有很多共通之处，我认为，既要有英雄精神、英雄情结，还必须具备卓越的经营管理能力。
对于企业家来说，英雄精神就是企业家精神。我理解，企业家精神是创新精神，是冒险精神，更是坚守精神。现实中，多数人都是按部就班或随大流的人。但作为企业家来讲，却需要卓尔不群。做事业是一个艰苦的过程，需要的是勇敢分子，是那些敢于创新、敢于冒险，不怕困难牺牲、勇往直前的人。今天的企业竞争异常激烈，而且常有攻坚克难的时刻，如果企业家不能自我突破，关键时刻畏首畏尾、患得患失，那一定打不了胜仗。做事业又是一个长期过程，需要的是独立不迁、能耐得住寂寞的人。一份耕耘一份收获，从不懈怠，从不自我原谅，从不轻言放弃，这是企业家成功的原则。
英雄情结是指作为企业家的使命感、责任感和荣誉感。真正的企业家应该站得更高，关注国家和民族的命运、关心社会的发展，敢于担当责任、充满职业精神，能认认真真地把经营企业作为自己的终身事业，而不是作为升官发财的人生跳板。
具体来说，企业家要有强烈的报国情怀，把企业发展与国家战略、社会利益紧密联系在一起，带领企业自觉肩负起政治责任、经济责任、社会责任，在保障经济平稳发展、积极吸纳就业、加强环境保护等方面发挥积极作用。企业家要有强烈的事业心和责任感，把培育优秀企业作为自己的神圣使命、崇高荣誉和毕生追求，带领企业做强做优，到国际舞台上冲锋陷阵。
从经营管理能力来看，企业家身上应具备一些基本特质，我认为至少有四个方面：
第一，方向感。企业家必须有战略眼光，能为企业指出正确的前进方向，能站得高，总揽全局。目标和方向判断对了，才能带领企业不断发展壮大。但是，能为企业把好方向盘并不容易，不仅需要超高的悟性，还要靠勤奋学习和超强耐力。
第二，感染力。我一直认为，企业家得是个爱做梦、会做梦，爱讲故事并能讲好故事的理想主义者。梦想是旗帜，是动力，是今天通往明天的道路。作为企业家，不仅要为企业找到目标，把目标变成激励员工共同奋斗的美好愿景；还要带领员工创造更多精彩故事、把梦想变成现实；同时也要善于向公众讲述企业故事，使社会获得更多理解和支持，赢得良好的舆论环境。所以在国外，很多顶尖企业家都是演讲高手，一上台就能讲清自己的观点而且很有感染力，这是企业家的专长，也是必备本领。
企业如同一本关于梦想的故事书，既要引人入胜，又要一直讲下去。IBM前总裁曾讲“IBM是由一连串故事组成”。最近我也在读台湾学者邱于芸的《用故事改变世界》，她认为现代世界是从一个个原型故事抽象演绎而来。中国建材也是由许多故事组成的，把多年来的故事归纳和整理出来，就是企业的全部。好的企业故事需要好的讲述者。前不久，我到南开商学院演讲时说，南开不缺管理学教授，而是缺会讲故事的企业家。那天我用了三个小时讲了十五个企业故事，大家听得聚精会神，两三百人的会场很少有人走动。
第三，感召力。企业家应以自身人格魅力感召大家，时时修身正己，成为企业的精神指引。对待事业勤勉尽职，认真执著，凡事追求完美。对待部下温和亲切，让大家有安全感、温暖感、幸福感。对待利益应能先人后己，把集体放在个人之先，能一碗水端平、一视同仁。对待问题则要勇于面对，勇于担当，千斤重担一肩挑。
中国明代思想家吕新吾在论著《呻吟语》说，居人之上者“深沉厚重是第一等资质，磊落豪情是第二等资质，聪明才辩是第三等资质”。三个资质依次对应的是人格、勇气和能力。这句话被稻盛和夫在《活法》一书中引用，讲的正是一流领导要有高尚的人格。
第四，决断力。企业家要善于做决断，关键时刻要拿大主意，做出必要的取舍。俗话说“当断不断必受其乱”，“家有千口主事一人”。对于一件事，往往做与不做都有道理，如果不去做决断，好的想法就会在反复讨论中烟消云散、不了了之。所以，企业家面对问题尤其是重大机遇要当机立断，绝不能犹豫不决、拖拖拉拉、贻误战机。
培养企业英雄不仅需要企业家自身的努力，还需要有良好宽松的社会环境。企业家不是经济学家，也不是政府官员，即使是最优秀的企业家也只是在做企业方面具备专长，对他们要求不能过高。企业家更不是神，因而对他们的要求也不能面面俱到。企业家在创业中往往承担着巨大压力，即使有一些工作过失，我们也应该有一定的宽容。就像对待运动员一样，不能赢了金牌就赞扬，输了就奚落。希望社会给企业家一块沃土，让更多的企业家健康成长。
培养一个企业家不容易，应该把企业家看成是国家的财富，对企业家也应倍加爱护。一个成功的国家，一定是一个企业家辈出的国家，一定是一个尊崇企业家的国家，一定是一个弘扬企业家精神的国家。
 

Entrepreneurs are national heroes

Entrepreneurship is the spirit of innovation, is the spirit of adventure, is the more spirit of persistence. A real entrepreneur shall stand higher, concern with national and racial fate, care about social development, dare to bear the responsibilities, is full of professional spirit, view the corporate operations as lifelong career, but not a springboard of winning promotion and earning money.

When I was young, I quite admired legendary figure in business Iacocca. Iacocca once was employed by Fort Company, then he was fired by Fort II without for no reason, suffered from great humiliation, then he became the CEO of Kreisler, and pulled the company back from cliff. There is a book of Iacocca, originally translation version named “反败为胜”, then was renamed “亚科卡传”. That very year ,when I read a passage on title page, I was moved with excitement:”I understand that there is no free lunch in the world. I understand that importance of family warmth to a man. I understand that no matter in what circumstances, I must keep going ahead.”

In the course of running a business, this passage always drives me forward. Whenever I met with difficulties or frustrations, I always think of the entrepreneurship of Iacocca- That is the heroic spirit of turning the tables, indomitability, and not looking back. The entrepreneurs need the sort of belief and spirit, because the course to run a business will not be smooth and flourishing, the entrepreneurs often stand by the side of a cliff. The former CEO of Intel corporation said so, even today, I still operate the business on the jig, like walking on a thin ice.

Apart from Iacocca, an array of brilliant entrepreneur stars after World War II, like Konosuke Matsushita, Soichiro Honda, Akito Morita, Kazuo inamori and so on, they all have strong heroic spirit.

For China, since the reform and opening up, the Chinese entrepreneur group emerged rapidly, sprung up many corporate leaders. Such as the popular and famous entrepreneurs Liu Chuanzhi, Zhang Ruimin etc. can all be viewed as heroes of the era. In the long-term practice, the Chinese entrepreneurs experienced and pondered, they not only brought out a host of excellent enterprises, but also accumulated the successful management experience. These experience contain both Chinese characteristics and international level; belong to both the Chinese nation and all mankind, they feature positive reference significance on international business administration practice.

At present, China has stepped into the large enterprise era, in where more entrepreneurs and entrepreneur heroes are needed. There are Iacocca and Jobs in western world, the Chinese nation also need its own entrepreneur heroes and top-level entrepreneurs. When we have entrepreneur hero, then we will have heroic enterprise, when we have heroic enterprise, then we will have heroic nation.

There are many common grounds among entrepreneur heroes, I think they shall equip with both heroic spirit, heroic complex and remarkable capability in operations and management.

For an entrepreneur, heroic spirit is entrepreneur spirit. I understand that entrepreneur spirit is the spirit of innovation, is the spirit of adventure and is the more the spirit of persistence. In reality, most people are those follow the prescribed procedures and the general trend. But for an entrepreneur, he shall be distinguished from the common. Making a cause is a course of hardness, which needs brave ones who dare to innovate, adventure, and not fear of sacrifice and keep going forward. Today’s competition among enterprises is exceptionally fierce, and frequently need to tackle tough situation, if the entrepreneurs cannot break through themselves and behave in a calm&advisable way, the business cannot survive. Making a cause is a long-term course, those who is independent and constant, and can resist loneliness. No pain no gain, never sluggish and self-forgiving, never give up easily, these are the principles for the success of entrepreneurs.

Heroic complex refers to the sense of mission, the sense of responsibility and the sense of honor. A real entrepreneur shall stand higher, concern with national and racial fate, care about social development, dare to bear the responsibilities, is full of professional spirit, view the corporate operations as lifelong career, but not a springboard of winning promotion and earning money.

Specifically, an entrepreneur shall possess strong intention to dedicate for the nation, combine enterprise development with national strategy and social benefits closely, leading the enterprise to consciously bear the political responsibility, economic responsibility and social responsibility and play a positive role in the aspects of safeguarding stable development of economy, positively absorbing employment and enhancing environmental protection. An entrepreneur shall possess strong enterprise and sense of responsibility, take cultivating excellent enterprise as his own holy mission, lofty reputation and lifelong pursuit, guiding the enterprise to be stronger with higher quality, and spearheading in international stage.

In terms of management capability, I think there are at least 4 aspects that shall possess for an entrepreneur :
Firstly, the sense of direction. The entrepreneur must have strategic insight to point out the right forward-direction, standing at the high level to direct the overall situation. Only can goal and direction be pointed out, an enterprise can be led to develop gradually. However, it is not an easy job to control the direction, it depends on not only exceptional comprehension, but also diligent learning and great endurance.

Secondly, infection. I always believe that an enterprise actually is an idealist who likes to make dreams and is capable of making dreams. A dream is just like an banner, is the impetus and the road between today and tomorrow. As an entrepreneur, it is not merely set a goal for the enterprise, and transform the goal into the great version that can encourage staff to work for together; he also needs to lead staff to create more outstanding stories and transform the dreams into reality; At the same time, he shall be good at telling enterprise story to the public, obtaining more understanding and support from the society and gaining good environment of public opinion. That is why many of foreign top entrepreneurs .are speech talents, who can clearly express their opinions when they are in stage, and their speeches are very infectious, this ability is the speciality for an entrepreneur, and a necessary skill.
The enterprise is alike a story book about dreams, it needs to be attractive and keep telling. The former CEO of IBM said ”IBM consists of a train of stories”. Recently, I have been reading a book “change the world with stories” written by Qiu Yuyun from Taiwan, she believes that the modern world was abstractly deducted from each and everyone prototype. China National Building Materials Group Corporation (“CNBM Group”) also consists of many stories, summarizing and sorting the years’ stories and forming as a whole. A good enterprise story needs a good story-teller. Not long ago, I said during my speech in Nankai Business School, Nankai University is not short of professors in management, but short of entrepreneurs who are capable of telling stories. We spent 3 hours to tell stories about 15 enterprises that day, all listened attentively, few people walking around in a venue where seated about 2 or 3 hundred audience.

Thirdly, charisma. An entrepreneur shall inspire all with his personal charm of personality, frequently cultivate his moral character and make himself be spiritual guidance. He shall be diligent and responsible for the career, serious and persistent, dedicated to perfection in everything. He shall be friendly and gentle to his employees, making them have the sense of security, sense of warmth and sense of happiness. He shall think others first in terms of benefits, give the collective prior to himself, and treat people equally without discrimination. He shall be brave to face with issues, dare to bear the heavy burden.

Lv Xinwu, the Chinese ideologist in Ming Dynasty said in his work ”Shenyinyu”, of the best men “the deep and dignified ones enjoy the first class aptitude, the frank and straightforward ones enjoy the second class aptitude while the smart eloquent ones enjoy the third class aptitude. ” The three aptitudes correspond to personality, courage and ability respectively. This sentence was quoted by Kazuo inamori in his work “Way of living”, describing that the first-class leaders shall possess lofty personality.

Fourthly, decision-making ability. An entrepreneur shall be good at making decisions, decide the main ideas in critical moments and make the necessary trade-offs. As the old saying goes ”He who hesitates is lost ”, “Families with one thousand, the principal one.” For one thing, it is both right to do or not to do, if the decision could not be made promptly, the good ideas will be end up with nothing in the course of repeatedly discussions. Therefore, the entrepreneurs shall make prompt decision without hesitation and sluggishness for some issues esp. for major opportunities.
To cultivate entrepreneur heroes not only needs the efforts from entrepreneurs themselves, but also needs a good tolerant social environment. An entrepreneur is not an economist, nor a governmental official, even the most prominent entrepreneur can only master in the domain of running a business, so the expectation on them shall not be over high. An entrepreneur is not a god, so the demand on them shall not be comprehensive. An entrepreneur usually bears huge pressure during the course of running a business, he shall be forgave to some extent even he made some mistakes. Just like treating an athlete, it is not advisable to praise for winning a gold medal and scoff for losing the game. Hope that the society could give a tolerant atmosphere, in where more entrepreneurs can grow up healthily. It is not an easy job to cultivate an entrepreneur, it is supposed to view the entrepreneurs as national wealth, and treasure them. A successful nation must be a nation with a great number of entrepreneurs, a nation where the entrepreneurs can be respected and a nation of promoting entrepreneurship.