Sweeping general
In response to severe damage inflicted in southern Taiwan by Super Typhoon Meranti, the army has dispatched a large number of troops to help people in the affected areas tidy up their homes and property.
Major General Chang Chieh (張捷), superintendent of the Republic of China Military Academy, was photographed sweeping and tidying alongside officers and enlisted troops.
One would have thought this was a good thing, but for some reason certain people have seen fit to criticize him.
In response, Minister of National Defense Feng Shih-kuan (馮世寬) has voiced his strong support for Chang, saying that “people should give him the thumbs-up.”
Anyone who has served in the military would recognize what Chang did as an example of good leadership. When I was doing my reserve officers’ training, our chief instructor taught us the same thing.
Just about everyone can find examples of this from their childhood and later life, be it in school or the armed forces. If school principals and teachers or company commanders and platoon leaders roll up their sleeves and help clean up the school campus or army barracks, the students or soldiers would sweep, mop and tidy up the environment with extra vigor. How is it that the critics cannot grasp even this basic concept of leadership?
If Chang were to ignore his academic duties and do nothing but sweep and clean all day, he would deserve to be criticized. However, if not, his critics must be the kind of people who go around with a magnifying glass all day, examining other people. They are nitpickers who need no reason to find fault with others.
Chang Hui-ho
Taipei
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