During the Song Dynasty, General Liu Ping fell in battle on the western frontier. Many blamed the eunuch supervisors—sent by the court—for tying the commander's hands. The Emperor executed the eunuch in question, and some urged that all military supervisors be dismissed.
But Chancellor Lü Yijian offered a different counsel. "Do not remove them," he said. "Simply appoint honest and prudent ones. Yet I cannot judge their character, for I rarely interact with them. Let the chief eunuch recommend candidates, but decree that if any fails in duty, the recommender shares the blame."
The Emperor agreed. The next day, the chief eunuch himself begged to abolish the entire system. The court marveled at Lü’s wisdom.
True influence does not force change—it creates the conditions for others to choose it. Lü understood that resistance breeds resentment, while insight invites transformation. When we stop fighting others’ positions and instead reshape the circumstances, we open doors they are willing to walk through. The art of leadership is not in commanding, but in guiding others to see what we see—and to want what we want for themselves.