Chen Ping
The Gold Is All Here
Asked why you keep changing sides, hand over something they can check
Sima Qian, Records of the Grand Historian, 'Hereditary House of Chancellor Chen'
The new camp thought he changed masters too often. This asks what to say when they ask why they should trust you.
What actually happened?
Chen Ping joined Liu Bang and was made a commander that same day, overseeing the generals. The veterans erupted: a deserter from yesterday! Zhou Bo and Guan Ying added that he looked fine but was hollow inside, was rumoured to have wronged his sister-in-law, and had already left Wei and Chu. Liu Bang asked him directly. Chen Ping swore nothing. His old masters could not use him, he said; he took the gold for lack of money; use his plans if they were good, and if not, the gold was all there, to be sealed and handed in. Liu Bang apologised and gave him charge of all the generals.
A reference speaks to skill, not character
Wei Wuzhi, who had recommended him, told Liu Bang he had vouched for ability, while Liu Bang was asking about conduct, and in a war conduct does not decide the outcome. Use the line with care: he was saying what the moment needed, not that character does not matter.
Asked why you changed jobs, state what each move produced and what you can bring, rather than only saying you are steady.
Speak of your old place only in checkable terms
He said Wei's king would not use his advice and Xiang Yu trusted no one outside his own clan. That is about how they used people, not about their character, and Liu Bang could verify it by asking around. He did not deny taking gold; he explained why.
Asked why you left, say that team had no use for the work you do best, not that the boss was bad.
Hand them the means to check you
His last words: use my plans if they are useful; if not, seal the gold, hand it in and let me go. Keep me if I am of use, send me off if not, money returned. He gave the other side the switch. It stood because he really did have plans to deliver.
At the start of a job, say you will hand over one concrete result in three months and they can decide on that.
How do I use it today?
Where you are: you have changed jobs several times and the new people murmur about it.
Ask first: what are they really afraid of, and can I hand them one thing they can check themselves?
Where it goes wrong: using this as licence to run down the old employer, or to deny everything. He admitted taking the gold and made nothing up, and he had plans to deliver. With nothing to check, do not offer the line.
Lines to keep
They fear misjudging you, not your CV.
Speak of the old place only as far as they can check.
Have something to test before you invite the test.
Same situation, other people are asking
I don't know if I can stay here much longer.I don't agree with where this is going. Do I stay and soften it?I'm unhappy here and leaving is the only move I can picture.Is what I'm good at worth anything anywhere else?Should I leave this job · all 8 questions →If this one named what you are going through,
send it to someone who needs it, or keep it somewhere you will find it again.