Story(The Wrong Machine)

A soldier was asked to report to headquarters for asignment. The sergeant said to the man in neat uniform:"We have a critical shortage of typists. You must undergo a preliminary test. Type this." he ordered, giving him a survey summary to copy and a sheet of paper, and pointing to a desk across the room that held a typewriter and a portable adding machine. The man, quite reluctant to become a clerk typiest, made a point of typing very slowly, and saw to it that his work contained as many errors as possible. The gergeant gave the typed copy only a brief glance. "That's fine," he said, "I'll recommend you. Report for work at 8 tomorrow." "But aren't you going to check the test?" the prospective clerk asked. His superior grinned. "You passed the test, " he replied, "when you sat down the typewriter instead of the adding machine."

译文:

一名士兵按照要求向总部报告要求分派工作。长官对这个穿着整洁制服的士兵说,"我们非常缺少打字员,你要经过初试,把这些打出来。"他命令道,给这士兵一份调查概要让它打,还给了一张纸,指着房间对面的桌子,那儿有一台打字机和一台便携式的加法器。这个士兵很不乐意当一名打字职员,故意打得非常慢,并尽可能地在里面多出些错误。长官简要地瞥了一下打出来的文件。"很好,"他说,"我会推荐你的,明天早上8点来报到。" :但是,你难道没有检查这个文件吗?" 这个未来的打字员问。他的上级微笑着,"你通过测试了," 他回答,"当你坐在打字机前而不是加法器前的时候。"

题外话:

调查报告可以用来分析,纸张可以用来输出结果,士兵根本就没有认识到这一点。士兵没有半点自知之明,却在那里心高气傲不可一世,具体到做事情上面,一下子全露馅了 ------ 他若真的能力非凡,就会去选择积极使用 调查报告、手里的纸张、加法器、打字机,来做分析、逻辑推理和运算、打印结果,但是他却选择了消极使用 打字机。或许士兵态度好一点,会比小学生强一点,但也是上不了台面的货色。

本质上看,判断一个人是否有能力,确实需要通过测试,透过现象看本质。其中尤为重要的是,做的远远比说的要重要。因为世界上逞口舌之利而投机取巧的人太多了,相比之下能够真正解决疑难问题的稀缺人才却是凤毛麟角。而做事尤其需要理论结合实际,做到具体问题具体分析,特别是解决开放式的疑难问题,世界上没有任何地方可以找到标准答案,可以发挥的空间就非常大,复杂度也极大。通过让测试者解决这样的问题,可以比较准确地判断,这个人是真的胸怀韬略内有乾坤的稀缺人才,还是欺世盗名投机取巧而没有真才实学的鼠辈。俗话说,"是骡子是马,拉出来遛一遛。"

所以当自己判断他人是否有能力时,是简单地说一说?还是实际地做一做?