Seeing is...

Seeing is believing

About 2,000 years ago, during the Former Han dynasty, there was a general named Zhao Chongguo.

When asked by the Emperor about how to fight the Qiang people, Zhao Chongguo is said to have replied, 'Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times; it is difficult to judge military affairs from afar (it is difficult to formulate strategy from a place far from the front lines. It is better for me to go to the site myself, see it, and then devise a strategy).'

The enemy, the Qiang people, were a foreign ethnic group with roots in Tibet who apparently used special tactics. Upon receiving reports from messengers that the front lines were struggling, the Emperor questioned Zhao Chongguo.

Every warrior has their own reason for fighting.
These might be personal reasons, such as for themselves or their families. Some may want to rise through the ranks by achieving military success. In some cases, there may even be those fighting with noble ideals of changing the world. However, all warriors are fighting by summoning their courage while trembling with anxiety and fear.

There is meaning in a decision-maker going to the front lines.
The most effective way to improve the engagement of subordinates is to satisfy the 'physiological needs' and 'safety needs' that exist right before their eyes. How to satisfy their 'need for esteem' and 'need for self-actualization' can be considered at the next stage.

A decision-maker must first feel the anxiety and fear of the warriors with their own skin. They should see and understand with their own eyes what is sufficient and what is lacking, and take action as quickly as possible.

In the modern era, the spread of the internet has made it possible to 'see' various information from all over the world. Yes, it is an era where it is possible to formulate strategies with a certain degree of accuracy without going to the front lines.

However, a strategy that ignores the anxiety and fear of those fighting on the front lines will undoubtedly not succeed. No matter how precise a strategy is formulated, it will not lead to results if the warriors on the front lines do not execute it.

That is why a general (decision-maker) must go to the front lines. To rephrase it in a way that fits the modern era, 'Visiting once is better than seeing a hundred times.'