By Wang Shi

Wang Shi, born in 1951, founded China Vanke in 1984 in Shenzhen, which became one of the first listed companies in China in 1989 and the largest Chinese real estate enterprise in 1998, and debuted on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2016. In his autobiography,My Changes: Wang Shi’s 40 Years in the Age of Modernization, Wang Shi recounted his two resignation experiences and revealed some unknown stories behind his final quitting from China Vanke.

Rule of Law, or Rule by Man?

In 1988, when Vanke was transformed into a joint-stock enterprise, I gave up the individual shares that I deserved. During the shareholding reform, Vanke employees deserved to have around 5 million staff shares out of a total of 41 million shares. By rule, only 10% of the shares could be handed over to individual employees, while the rest has to be transferred to a “collective investment fund.”

There are three reasons why I gave up my individual shares. First, I hate the image of being a nouveau riche; second, no one in my family has the gift of wealth management; third, it is a deeprooted traditional concept in China that “Inequality, rather than scarcity, is the cause of trouble.” Moreover, there are always people who are hostile to the rich in society. If a person makes a fortune overnight, he may put himself in an extremely unfavorable position. This could be especially true for someone like me, who is fond of the limelight, and living an unrestrained and carefree life. If I became rich overnight, my life would perhaps be doomed. At that time, I was thinking, I had to choose either fame or fortune, either raking in the dough by keeping a low profile, or doing something big and splashy without getting my hands dirty. I chose the latter.

王石，1951年出生。1984年在深圳創(chuàng)立萬(wàn)科公司。萬(wàn)科1989年成為中國(guó)最早的上市公司；1998年成為中國(guó)最大的上市房地產(chǎn)公司；2016年成為《財(cái)富》世界500強(qiáng)企業(yè)。在自傳《我的改變：個(gè)人的現(xiàn)代化40年》中，王石講述了他兩次主動(dòng)辭職、最終離開萬(wàn)科背后種種不為人知的故事。

要法治還是人治

1988年，萬(wàn)科進(jìn)行股份制改造時(shí)，我放棄了應(yīng)得的個(gè)人股份。那次股份制改造，4100 萬(wàn)股的股份中，萬(wàn)科職工股應(yīng)得的股票約500萬(wàn)出頭。按規(guī)定，這部分股票只有10%允許量化到個(gè)人名下，其余的由集體持有。

我放棄應(yīng)得的個(gè)人股份，有三點(diǎn)理由：一是討厭暴發(fā)戶形象；二是家族沒(méi)有掌管財(cái)富的DNA；三是“不患寡，患不均”是中國(guó)社會(huì)根深蒂固的傳統(tǒng)觀念，社會(huì)也向來(lái)有仇富心態(tài)。個(gè)人突然有了錢，會(huì)把自己擺在一個(gè)極其不利的地位，尤其像我這樣，愛(ài)出風(fēng)頭，天馬行空，獨(dú)來(lái)獨(dú)往，如果很有錢，弄不好會(huì)惹來(lái)殺身之禍。我當(dāng)時(shí)的想法是，名利之間只能選擇一項(xiàng)，或默不出聲地賺錢，或兩袖清風(fēng)實(shí)現(xiàn)一番事業(yè)。我選擇了后者。

雖然放棄了對(duì)萬(wàn)科的控股權(quán)，但沒(méi)有妨礙我把公司做大的野心。我當(dāng)時(shí)最喜歡的是“走向未來(lái)”叢書，還有湯因比的《歷史研究》，對(duì)現(xiàn)代企業(yè)制度有著深深的認(rèn)同感。我希望全面學(xué)習(xí)現(xiàn)代化的先進(jìn)管理經(jīng)驗(yàn)，用現(xiàn)代企業(yè)制度管理萬(wàn)科。這其中最關(guān)鍵的“要法治還是人治”的問(wèn)題，落實(shí)到我這個(gè)創(chuàng)始人身上，其中一個(gè)重要問(wèn)題就是如何限制自己的權(quán)力。

創(chuàng)業(yè)初期，我有過(guò)個(gè)人權(quán)威比較強(qiáng)的階段。因?yàn)閯?chuàng)業(yè)之初，市場(chǎng)環(huán)境缺乏規(guī)范，企業(yè)擁有的資源非常有限，這就需要所謂的強(qiáng)權(quán)人物領(lǐng)軍殺開一條生路。

那時(shí)候，工作白天黑夜連軸轉(zhuǎn)，我常常會(huì)呵斥員工，以至于一位律師跟我去員工食堂吃了一次飯后，對(duì)我說(shuō)，有一個(gè)員工見(jiàn)到我時(shí)雙腿都在微微發(fā)抖。

后來(lái)我慢慢意識(shí)到，在工作中發(fā)火，也許是一種掩飾無(wú)能的表現(xiàn)。萬(wàn)科9 周年時(shí)，一次人事會(huì)議上，我從同事們的善意批評(píng)中，對(duì)自己的壞脾氣有了點(diǎn)新的體會(huì)：脾氣和地位、權(quán)力有關(guān)。隨著地位的提高、權(quán)力的擴(kuò)大，脾氣也愈來(lái)愈大。深圳的一些企業(yè)里，老板的脾氣往往比一般員工來(lái)得大，這實(shí)在是一件可悲的事，所以我下決心要改變。在《萬(wàn)科》周刊上，我當(dāng)時(shí)還發(fā)表過(guò)一篇叫《改改壞脾氣》的聲明。

但從性格上講，有的人就是急脾氣，有的人就是慢條斯理。雖然我是急脾氣，但不代表我是一個(gè)追求個(gè)人權(quán)威的人。比如我一直有個(gè)原則，絕不讓下屬替自己喝酒。戒酒前，有時(shí)見(jiàn)到下屬喝得難受，我還會(huì)“慷慨獻(xiàn)身”。

Although I gave up my personal stake in Vanke, I maintained my ambition of making the company bigger and more successful. At that time, I particularly loved reading a series of books namedInto the FutureandA Study of Historyby Arnold Toynbee. I identified with the modern enterprise system and wanted to learn advanced modern management skills so that I could adopt the system in the management of Vanke. The crux of the matter lies in one simple question: rule of law, or rule by man? As the founder of the company, I must know how to limit my power.

At the initial stages, I held a strong position in the company, as the market mechanisms were unstable, and there were limited resources for start-ups, a “powerful leader” had to stand out to blaze the trail.

At that time, I worked around the clock and often reprimanded the employees. Once a lawyer who went to have lunch with me in our canteen told me that he saw a guy whose legs were slightly trembling the moment he saw me.

Later, I gradually realized that losing my temper at work might be a sign of incompetence. When Vanke entered its ninth year, I received some well-meant criticisms from my colleagues, and gained a new understanding of my bad temper: a person’s temper is related to his position and power. As his position and power grow, so does his temper. In some enterprises in Shenzhen, the CEO’s temper is generally hotter than any ordinary employee’s. This is pathetic. So I made up my mind to change it. Once I published an announcement titled “To Change My Bad Temper” onVanke Weekly.

In terms of personal traits, some people simply have a short temper, and some are inherently the slow and steady type. Though I am hottempered, I don’t crave personal authority. For example, although it’s typical Chinese culture to toast and drink a lot in business or social gatherings, I have always had a principle to never ask my subordinates to drink for me when I was toasted, even if it means I had to overdrink at times. Before I quit drinking, sometimes when I saw my subordinates suffer from overdrinking, I’d even lend them a hand and drink for them.

企業(yè)越做越大之后，我越來(lái)越深刻地意識(shí)到，在不規(guī)范環(huán)境下培養(yǎng)出來(lái)的權(quán)威人物，往往會(huì)帶來(lái)個(gè)人崇拜、“一言堂”、決策時(shí)易于沖動(dòng)、好大喜功等負(fù)面效應(yīng)。所以，企業(yè)要做大，就必須逐漸弱化個(gè)人權(quán)威，走出人治的怪圈。

一劑重藥

我1999年主動(dòng)辭去總經(jīng)理職務(wù)，正是基于這個(gè)問(wèn)題所下的一劑重藥。

1998年，萬(wàn)科成為中國(guó)上市公司中最大的房地產(chǎn)公司，中央電視臺(tái)為改革開放20年所拍的紀(jì)錄片《20年，20 人》，也把我列為代表人物之一?？梢哉f(shuō)，對(duì)萬(wàn)科、對(duì)我自己，這都是一個(gè)高峰。也就是那一年，我決定辭去總經(jīng)理職務(wù)。

1997年下半年，亞洲金融危機(jī)爆發(fā)，到1998年愈演愈烈。市場(chǎng)劇烈變化使我深深感到，僅憑十幾年積累的經(jīng)驗(yàn)已經(jīng)不足以應(yīng)對(duì)市場(chǎng)變化。一著不慎，滿盤皆輸。要使自己、使萬(wàn)科跟上形勢(shì)發(fā)展變化，就必須騰出更多時(shí)間和精力去學(xué)習(xí)、研究新形勢(shì)和制定解決新問(wèn)題的措施。只有這樣，才有可能在更高層次上對(duì)市場(chǎng)做出準(zhǔn)確判斷和決策。

而且，我的理想一直沒(méi)變，我希望萬(wàn)科能成為一個(gè)偉大的公司，能創(chuàng)造一種文化，給社會(huì)帶來(lái)正面影響。要實(shí)現(xiàn)這個(gè)理想，就應(yīng)該盡量讓公司駛上規(guī)范化軌道。兩職一身是特定環(huán)境下的產(chǎn)物，我繼續(xù)兼任，顯然不利于萬(wàn)科健康發(fā)展。

記得在宣布辭去總經(jīng)理的會(huì)議上，我對(duì)同事們說(shuō)我給萬(wàn)科帶來(lái)了什么：第一，選擇了一個(gè)行業(yè)，房地產(chǎn)業(yè)；第二，建立了一個(gè)制度，現(xiàn)代企業(yè)制度；第三，成立了一個(gè)團(tuán)隊(duì)；第四，創(chuàng)立了一個(gè)品牌。

辭去總經(jīng)理時(shí)有一個(gè)非常明確的分工，作為董事長(zhǎng)，我就把握三件事：第一，我關(guān)注公司不確定的事，主要是決策；第二，人事安排；第三，承擔(dān)責(zé)任，尤其是公司出了負(fù)面事情的時(shí)候。

不是企業(yè)離不開你

我始終認(rèn)為，一個(gè)規(guī)范運(yùn)作的團(tuán)隊(duì)中，工作不應(yīng)該因?yàn)槟骋粋€(gè)成員的因素而受到嚴(yán)重影響；即使領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者缺席，團(tuán)隊(duì)也仍然能夠規(guī)范地處理自身事務(wù)并承擔(dān)責(zé)任。

從個(gè)人角度，我也會(huì)思考什么是成功的標(biāo)志。第一種觀點(diǎn)，有人可能會(huì)認(rèn)為，把企業(yè)做到離開自己就無(wú)法運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的程度，就體現(xiàn)出了自己的重要性。但我持第二種觀點(diǎn)：一個(gè)成功的企業(yè)家，應(yīng)該著力于建立制度、培養(yǎng)團(tuán)隊(duì)，當(dāng)你不在的時(shí)候，企業(yè)也能運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)得很好……18年后的2017年6月，我辭去萬(wàn)科董事長(zhǎng)職務(wù)，郁亮接棒。一年多過(guò)去，整個(gè)公司的表現(xiàn)令人驚喜，可以說(shuō)完成了一次無(wú)縫銜接。這再一次印證了我所持的觀點(diǎn)：不是企業(yè)離不開你，而是你離不開企業(yè)。

The bigger Vanke grows, the deeper I am aware of the fact that powerful figures, when cultivated in an unfavored environment, may bring about lots of adverse effects. It can lead to a personality cult, and the practice of “what I say counts.” These leaders tend to be impulsive when making decisions, and crave greatness and success. Therefore, if an enterprise aims at enlarging itself, it ought to gradually weaken the personal authority, and step out of the circle of rule by man.

A Large Dose of Antidote

My resignation as the General Manager in 1999 was literally a large dose of antidote for this problem.

In 1998, Vanke became the largest real estate company among China’s listed enterprises. Besides, I was featured in20 Years, 20 People, a documentary filmed by China Central Television on the first 20 years of reform and opening-up in China. No doubt that Vanke, and me as well, reached our peak in that year. It was also in that year when I decided to quit my position as the General Manager.

The Asian financial crisis erupted in the second half of 1997, and intensified in 1998. The drastic changes in the market made me realize that the experience I accumulated was not enough to cope with market changes. One false move could lead to heavy loss. If I wanted to keep myself and Vanke abreast of the development and changes, I must spare more time and energy to study and research the new markets, as well as work out solutions to the new problems. Only in this way would it be possible to make accurate judgments and decisions on the market at a higher level.

Moreover, my ideals remain the same all the time. I hope that Vanke will become a great company, capable of creating a culture that brings positive influences to society. To realize this ideal, I should try to guide the company on a standardized track. Holding two positions at the same time was the result of a specific operating environment. If I remained unchanged, it would be obviously not conducive to the healthy development of Vanke.

I remember at the meeting announcing my resignation, I told my team what I had brought to Vanke. First, I had chosen an industry—namely the real estate industry. Second, I had established a system—namely a modern enterprise system. Third, I had built a team. Fourth, I had created a brand.

I clarified my responsibilities when resigning from my position as the General Manager. As the Chairman of the Board, I would merely focus on three aspects. First, I’d pay close attention to the uncertainties in the company, mainly in the respect of decisionmaking. Second, I’d watch the personnel arrangements. Third, I’d assume responsibility, especially when something negative happened to the company.

It’s Not That the Company Can’t Run Without You

I have always believed that routine operations should not be seriously affected by one member in a well-regulated team. Even in the absence of leaders, the team should still be able to handle their tasks in a standardized manner and take responsibility.

From a personal perspective, I also think of what it means to be successful. For one thing, some people may argue that running and growing a company until it cannot function without them highlights their irreplaceability. But I have a different opinion: a successful entrepreneur should focus on establishing operation systems and cultivating team members so that the company can run well even without him or her…

18 years later, in June 2017, I resigned as the Chairman of Vanke, and Yu Liang took it over. Over a year later, I found the company’s performance surprising and the handover perfect. Thus, my opinion mentioned above was verified: it’s not that the company can’t run without me, but that I need the company.

In 1999, the first two months after my resignation were painful for me, because I had always been involved in everything. I felt odd handing things over all at once. Especially at the beginning, I fidgeted in my office, and could not help crossing the line at work from time to time. After a while, I began to consciously distance myself from the day-to-day management. Later, I simply took long leaves to climb mountains in order to pull away from the company. After a period of adjustment, I gradually adapted to the new situation. In June of 2017, I struggled with myself for two weeks before resigning as the Chairman. But once I had decided, I hesitated no more. This adjustment process was much easier than it was 18 years ago.

(From My Changes:Wang Shi’s 40 Years in the Age of Modernization, SDX Joint Publishing Company. Translation: Zhu Yaguang & Zhang Ran)

1999年，剛辭去總經(jīng)理的頭兩個(gè)月對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)是非常痛苦的，因?yàn)槲乙恢狈彩掠H力親為，比較強(qiáng)勢(shì)，什么事都要管。一下把事情都交出去，非常不習(xí)慣。特別是最初那段時(shí)間，在辦公室坐立不安，工作時(shí)也常常忍不住越界。一段時(shí)間之后，我開始有意識(shí)地與日常管理疏離。后來(lái)，我索性給自己放假去登雪山，一走就是半個(gè)月、一個(gè)月，有意識(shí)地與公司團(tuán)隊(duì)拉開距離。經(jīng)過(guò)一段時(shí)間的調(diào)整，才慢慢適應(yīng)了。2017年6月辭去董事長(zhǎng)之前，我糾結(jié)了兩個(gè)星期，而一經(jīng)決定，就不糾結(jié)了。之后的調(diào)整過(guò)程，比18年前要容易得多。

（摘自《我的改變：個(gè)人的現(xiàn)代化40年》生活·讀書·新知三聯(lián)書店）