Grasping the Methodology for Strengthening the Party’s Work Style Construction

For every matter there must be a method before it can be accomplished. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has delivered a series of important discourses on strengthening the Party’s work style construction, resolving the questions of what to focus on and how to carry out work style construction under the new situation, and embodying profound methods of thought and work. Scientifically grasping the methodology for strengthening the Party’s work style construction is of great significance for using new achievements in work style construction to promote a clean and upright political ecosystem and a favorable atmosphere for undertaking endeavors, and for further enhancing the consciousness and resolve to persistently advance the Party’s work style construction on the new journey.

事必有法，然后可成。党的十八大以来，习近平总书记围绕加强党的作风建设发表了一系列重要论述，解决了新形势下作风建设抓什么、怎么抓的问题，蕴含着深刻的思想方法和工作方法。科学把握加强党的作风建设的方法论，对于以作风建设新成效推动形成风清气正的政治生态和干事创业的良好氛围，进一步增强新征程上持续推进党的作风建设的自觉性和坚定性，具有十分重要的意义。

The Unity of Breaking the “Four Forms of Decadence”[1]1 The "Four Forms of Formalism" (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, which were identified as key targets of the Party's mass-line education and practice campaign launched in 2013. and Establishing a New Style

破“四风”与立新风相统一

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must adhere to the dialectical unity of breaking and establishing, advancing both breaking and establishing while prioritizing establishing, actively establishing what should be established, promptly breaking what should be broken on the basis of establishment, and achieving steady and rapid progress in reform through the unity of breaking and establishing.” In strengthening the Party’s work style construction, adhering to the unity of breaking and establishing means “establishing” a healthy and uplifting new style and “breaking” undesirable work styles.

习近平总书记指出：“要坚持破和立的辩证统一，破立并举、先立后破，该立的积极主动立起来，该破的在立的基础上及时破，在破立统一中实现改革蹄疾步稳。”在加强党的作风建设中，坚持破和立的统一，“立”的是健康向上的新风，“破”的是不良作风。

The key to “breaking” lies in “establishing.” Our Party has always emphasized the exemplary and leading role of advanced models. By selecting and promoting role models and publicizing benchmarks, it establishes a clear value orientation for work style construction, educates and guides the vast number of Party members and cadres to clarify behavioral norms, and continuously pushes the level of work style construction to new heights. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has vigorously promoted the spiritual

“破”的关键在于“立”。我们党始终注重发挥先进典型的示范引领作用，通过选树榜样、宣传标杆，为作风建设确立鲜明价值导向，教育引导广大党员干部明晰行为准则，推动作风建设水平不断迈上新台阶。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央大力弘扬以伟大建党精神为源头的中国共产党人精神谱系，建立健全党和国家功勋荣誉表彰制度。榜样的力量持续激励全体党员干部以榜样为镜强素质、以使命为纲改作风、以奋斗为笔建新功，形成以优良党风政风带动社风民风向上向善的良好局面，为推进中国式现代化凝聚起强大精神动力和道德支撑。

Style-of-work issues are in essence issues of Party spirit. Only by daring to face problems directly, daring to engage in self-revolution, and breaking the stubborn malady of the "Four Forms of Formalism" [1]1 The "Four Forms of Formalism" (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism, and extravagance, which were identified as key targets of the Party's mass-line education and practice campaign launched in 2013. can we ensure that the improvement of work style achieves tangible results. Since the New Era, our Party has advanced the anti-corruption struggle with the spirit of self-revolution that turns the blade inward, resolutely eliminating the malignant tumors that erode the Party's healthy organism, detecting, warning about, and correcting nascent and tendency-based issues of corruption and degeneration early, educating and guiding the vast number of Party cadres to maintain political sobriety at all times, clarify the boundaries of conduct, know reverence, maintain caution, and guard the bottom line, and building a solid line of defense for work-style improvement with firm resolve and forceful measures. We persist in expelling the foul and bringing in the fresh, supporting the upright and eliminating the evil, winning the trust of the people and uniting the hearts of the Party and the people through tangible results.

作风问题本质上是党性问题。只有敢于直面问题、勇于自我革命，破“四风”顽疾，才能确保作风建设取得实效。新时代以来，我们党以刀刃向内的自我革命精神推进反腐败斗争，坚决清除侵蚀党的健康肌体的毒瘤，对腐败变质的苗头性、倾向性问题做到早发现、早提醒、早纠正，教育引导广大党员干部时刻保持政治清醒，明晰行为边界，知敬畏、存戒惧、守底线，以坚定决心和有力举措筑牢作风建设的坚固防线。坚持激浊扬清、扶正祛邪，以实际成效取信于民、凝聚党心民心。

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, "We must focus on establishing rules and regulations, establishing 'explicit rules' and breaking 'implicit rules,' and around the corruption cases that have occurred, find loopholes and draw lessons." Breaking and establishing are mutually reinforcing, mutually transforming, and dynamically developing. Only by adhering to the unity of breaking and establishing in work-style improvement, advancing both breaking and establishing simultaneously, and forming a virtuous cycle, can we consolidate the achievements of breaking the "Four Forms of Formalism" and promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work-style improvement. To this end, we must use the firmness of "breaking" to promote the growth of "establishing," ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of work-style improvement and forming a good new social atmosphere.

习近平总书记指出，“要抓住建章立制，立‘明规则’、破‘潜规则’，围绕发生的腐败案例，查找漏洞，吸取教训”。破与立是相辅相成、相互转化、动态发展的。作风建设只有坚持破与立相统一，立破并举，形成良性循环，才能巩固破除“四风”的成果，推动作风建设常态化、长效化。为此，要以“破”之坚定，促“立”之生长，确保作风建设的持续性和有效性，形成良好的社会新风。

Unity of Attaining the Broad and Exhausting the Subtle

致广大与尽精微相统一

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "When undertaking work and doing tasks, the general direction must be correct, the key points must be clear, and the strategy must be appropriate; at the same time, we must control the details, organically combine politics and economics, macro and micro, strategy and tactics, so as to plan with an overall view and operate with meticulous precision." Seeing both the "forest" and the "trees," knowing both the "large" and understanding the "small" — "attaining the broad and exhausting the subtle" contains profound dialectical wisdom.

习近平总书记指出：“干事业做工作大方向要正确，重点要明确，战略要得当，同时要把控好细节，把政治经济、宏观微观、战略战术有机结合起来，做到谋划时统揽大局、操作中细致精当。”既见“森林”也见“树木”，既知其“巨”又明其“细”——“致广大而尽精微”蕴含着深刻的辩证法智慧。

Observing the general trend and planning the overall situation is both a kind of breadth of mind and vision and a kind of thought method and mode of thinking. Only by proceeding from the overall situation can we better grasp the "form" of the operation of things and the "trend" of their development, better seize the momentum from the overall situation and make moves at key points, continuously enhance the creativity of "planning for one area," and achieve both adding luster to one area and contributing to the whole. At the same time, all great undertakings under heaven must be done in detail. Lofty top-level design requires down-to-earth implementation and execution, and magnificent goal planning cannot be separated from the accumulation of actions bit by bit. We must both plan the layout of work-style improvement from an overall perspective and implement it meticulously with the skill of "embroidery," thereby ensuring that work-style improvement is driven by breakthroughs in key areas to drive overall improvement.

观大势、谋全局，既是一种胸襟和格局，又是一种思想方法和思维方式。只有从全局出发，才能更好地把握事物运行之“形”、发展之“势”，才能更好从全局上谋势、在关键处落子，不断提高“谋一域”的创造性，做到既为一域增光又为全局添彩。同时，天下大事，必作于细。高屋建瓴的顶层设计需要脚踏实地地落实执行，宏伟壮丽的目标规划离不开一点一滴的行动积累。我们既要从全局角度对作风建设谋篇布局，又要以“绣花”功夫落细落实，从而确保作风建设由重点突破带动整体提升。

An important reason why the Party's work-style improvement in the New Era has achieved historic accomplishments and why the Party's style, government style, and social atmosphere have taken on a completely new look is precisely the adherence to the unity of "attaining the broad" and "exhausting the subtle." Our Party is adept at using the method and strategy of seeing the big from the small, running a distinct problem awareness through the entire process of governing the Party with strict discipline. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [2]2 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in November 2012, marking the beginning of the Xi Jinping era and the launch of a comprehensive anti-corruption campaign., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken the introduction of the Central Eight-Point Regulations [3]3 The Central Eight-Point Regulations (八项规定) are a set of rules adopted by the Party Central Committee in December 2012 to curb extravagance and bureaucracy among Party officials. as the entry point for strengthening work-style improvement, effectively solving the problem of "a tiger wanting to eat the sky but not knowing where to start." The Central Eight-Point Regulations are the breakthrough point for work-style improvement. By using points to drive the whole and seeing the big from the small, they have both avoided "treating the head when the head aches and treating the foot when the foot hurts" and prevented "pressing down the gourd only to have the dipper float up," ensuring that the work of governing the Party with strict discipline is more precise and more effective.

新时代党的作风建设之所以取得历史性成就，党风政风和社会风气之所以焕然一新，一个重要原因就在于坚持“致广大”与“尽精微”相统一。我们党善于运用以小见大的方法策略，将鲜明的问题意识贯穿管党治党全过程。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把出台中央八项规定作为加强作风建设的切入点，有效破解了“老虎吃天不知从哪儿下口”的难题。中央八项规定是作风建设的突破口，通过以点带面、以小见大，既避免了“头痛医头、脚痛医脚”，又防止了“按下葫芦浮起瓢”，确保管党治党工作更加精准、更加有效。

Style-of-work issues are related to the support or opposition of the people and to the Party's governing foundation. As a Marxist political party that has been in power for a long time in a big country with a population of over 1.4 billion, our Party always maintains the sobriety and firmness to solve the unique problems of a large Party, never taking style-of-work issues lightly at any time, seizing the "small incision" of work-style improvement, integrating the breadth of strategy with the precision of tactics, and continuously opening up new prospects for comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.

作风问题关系人心向背，关系党的执政基础。作为一个在拥有14亿多人口的大国长期执政的马克思主义政党，我们党时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定，对作风问题任何时候都不掉以轻心，抓住作风建设“小切口”，融战略之博大与战术之精细于一体，不断开创全面从严治党新局面。

Unity of Treating Disease Before It Arises and Consolidating the Foundation

治未病与固根本相统一

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Focus on strengthening political discipline and organizational discipline, driving strictness in clean-governance discipline, mass discipline, work discipline, and life discipline. Persist in carrying out criticism and self-criticism, persist in learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and curing the sickness to save the patient, and apply the 'four forms' of supervision and discipline enforcement [4]4 The "four forms" of supervision and discipline enforcement (监督执纪四种形态) are graduated measures for handling disciplinary violations, ranging from criticism and education to severe punishment, designed to catch problems early., catching problems early and small, and preventing them from growing." This is not only a guide to action for Party building in the New Era but also contains rich philosophical wisdom. Treating disease before it arises emphasizes prevention as the main focus, paying attention to preventing and resolving problems from the source; it is a forward-looking way of thinking of "taking precautions before a calamity occurs." Consolidating the foundation emphasizes building a solid foundation, focusing on solving deep-seated problems from the system and mechanism; it is a fundamental measure of "radically reforming and thoroughly clearing up."

习近平总书记指出：“重点强化政治纪律和组织纪律，带动廉洁纪律、群众纪律、工作纪律、生活纪律严起来。坚持开展批评和自我批评，坚持惩前毖后、治病救人，运用监督执纪‘四种形态’，抓早抓小、防微杜渐。”这不仅是新时代党的建设的行动指南，也蕴含着丰富的哲学智慧。治未病强调预防为主，注重从源头上防范和化解问题，是“防患于未然”的前瞻性思维。固根本则强调筑牢基础，注重从制度和机制上解决深层次问题，是“正本清源”的根本性举措。

If we do not prevent problems from growing, they will collapse the dike through ant holes. Work-style improvement must establish the concept of treating disease before it arises, promptly discovering and solving nascent and tendency-based problems, so as to prevent small problems from evolving into big ones and create conditions for consolidating the foundation. To this end, we must uphold the principle of catching problems early and small and preventing them from growing, promptly taking measures against nascent and tendency-based problems that appear among cadres, effectively resolving problems in the bud, and effectively preventing small hidden dangers from evolving into major risks. Consolidating the foundation means building a solid foundation of thought and a solid foundation of institutions. By promoting clean-governance education and warning education to enter the mind and heart, go deep and be solid, we enhance the clean-governance awareness and discipline awareness of Party cadres, and build a solid ideological and moral defense line against corruption and degeneration, consolidating the foundation and cultivating the source. We focus on institutional construction and institutional implementation, advancing in an integrated manner the deterrence of not daring to be corrupt, the constraint of not being able to be corrupt, and the aspiration of not wanting to be corrupt; establishing and improving the inspection and patrol system, strengthening daily supervision over Party organizations and Party cadres at all levels, ensuring that power operates in the sunlight; focusing on key areas, breaking down data barriers, using emerging technological tools such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to establish intelligent information management platforms, achieving real-time monitoring and evaluation of the behavior of Party cadres, and strengthening transparency and supervision.

不防微杜渐就会溃于蚁穴。作风建设要树立治未病理念，及时发现和解决苗头性、倾向性问题，才能防止小问题演变为大问题，为固根本创造条件。为此，必须秉持抓早抓小、防微杜渐的原则，对干部身上出现的苗头性、倾向性问题及时采取措施，切实将问题解决在萌芽状态，有效防范小隐患演变为大风险。固根本就是要筑牢思想之基、制度之基。通过推动廉洁教育、警示教育入脑入心、走深走实，增强党员干部的廉洁意识和纪律意识，筑牢拒腐防变、固本培元的思想道德防线。注重制度建设和制度执行，一体推进不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐；建立健全巡视巡察制度，加强对各级党组织和党员干部的日常监督，确保权力在阳光下运行；紧盯重点领域，打通数据壁垒，利用大数据、云计算、人工智能等新兴技术工具，建立智能化的信息管理平台，实现对党员干部行为的实时监控与评估，强化透明度与监督力度。

The ancients said: "Eliminate troubles before they arise, treat diseases before they occur, and heal before things go wrong." Treating disease before it arises and consolidating the foundation is a methodology for addressing both the symptoms and root causes of style-of-work issues, a concrete practice of the systems concept in the Party's work-style improvement, emphasizing both treating the symptoms and, more importantly, treating the root causes. By promptly discovering and solving nascent and tendency-based problems to treat disease before it arises, and by establishing rules and systems to consolidate the foundation, we form a comprehensive effect of joint management and coordinated governance in work-style improvement.

古人说：“消未起之患、治未病之疾，医之于无事之前。”治未病与固根本是对作风问题标本兼治的方法论，是系统观念在党的作风建设中的具体实践，讲究既重治标、更重治本。通过及时发现和解决苗头性、倾向性问题来治未病，又通过建章立制来固根本，形成作风建设齐抓共管、协同治理的综合效应。

Unity of Clarifying the Direction and Implementing

明方向与抓落实相统一

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must have the spirit of driving a nail. Driving a nail is often not accomplished with a single hammer blow; rather, it requires striking blow after blow until the nail is driven in firmly and securely. Once one nail is driven in, drive the next, and keep driving continuously — there will surely be great results.” In the improvement of conduct, upholding the unity of clarifying the direction and grasping implementation is, in essence, the dialectical unity of understanding the world and transforming the world. Setting goals and clarifying the direction is a vivid application of the method of contradiction analysis, embodying problem awareness, and requiring the identification of the “bull’s-eye” to avoid “shooting without a target.” Driving nails and grasping implementation follow the law of quantitative change leading to qualitative change, emphasizing sustained effort with the tenacity of “striking blow after blow” to transform goals into tangible results, reflecting the continuity and steadfastness of conduct improvement. By clarifying the direction to determine “what to reform,” and relying on implementation to solve “how to reform,” from precise positioning to sustained tackling, and then to consolidating results, it provides a scientific methodology for conduct improvement.

习近平总书记指出：“我们要有钉钉子的精神，钉钉子往往不是一锤子就能钉好的，而是要一锤一锤接着敲，直到把钉子钉实钉牢，钉牢一颗再钉下一颗，不断钉下去，必然大有成效。”在作风建设中坚持明方向与抓落实的统一，本质上是认识世界与改造世界的辩证统一。定目标、明方向，是对矛盾分析法的生动运用，体现问题意识，要求找准“靶心”，避免“无的放矢”。钉钉子、抓落实则遵循从量变到质变的规律，强调以“一锤一锤敲”的韧劲持续发力，把目标转化为实效，体现作风建设的持续性和坚定性。既通过明方向明确“改什么”，又靠抓落实解决“怎么改”，从精准定位到持续攻坚，再到成效巩固，为作风建设提供了科学的方法论。

Clarifying the direction embodies a distinct problem awareness. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee has taken the lead in establishing rules and setting examples, starting with the formulation and implementation of the Eight-Point Regulations to break new ground, focusing on prominent issues that the people deeply detest and strongly reflect on, and handling each one thoroughly to the end. Grasping implementation reflects responsibility, commitment, and competence. “The improvement of conduct is always on the way; there is never a resting point.” In the New Era, the Party Central Committee, with extraordinary perseverance and determination, has continuously rectified the problems of the “Four Forms of Decadence,”[5]5 The “Four Forms of Decadence” (四风) refers to formalism, bureaucracy, hedonism, and extravagance — the four undesirable work styles that the CPC has targeted for rectification since the 18th National Congress. fully reflecting a work style of persistence and unremitting effort. In 2024, national discipline inspection and supervision agencies investigated and dealt with 118,000 cases of hedonism and extravagance, criticizing, educating, and handling 157,000 people; they investigated and dealt with 107,000 cases of formalism and bureaucracy, criticizing, educating, and handling 156,000 people. Through precise rectification of prominent issues, they effectively solved the problem of what to rectify and how to rectify in the new situation, continuously promoting the improvement of Party conduct and government conduct. The improvement of conduct is a protracted battle that cannot be accomplished overnight. We must maintain clarity in our goals to ensure that the work of governing the Party comprehensively and strictly is more precise and effective, while also maintaining the endurance of “driving nails,” persisting in sustained effort and long-term commitment, and implementing all requirements for conduct improvement in every link and every detail.

明方向体现鲜明的问题意识。党的十八大以来，中央政治局带头立规矩作示范，从制定和落实中央八项规定开局破题，紧盯群众深恶痛绝、反映强烈的突出问题，一件一件抓到底。抓落实体现的是责任担当、能力素质。“作风建设永远在路上，永远没有休止符”。新时代，党中央以非凡的毅力和决心，持续整治“四风”问题，充分体现持之以恒、常抓不懈的工作作风。2024年，全国纪检监察机关共查处享乐主义、奢靡之风问题11.8万起，批评教育和处理15.7万人；查处形式主义、官僚主义问题10.7万起，批评教育和处理15.6万人。通过精准整治突出问题，有效解决新形势下作风建设抓什么、怎么抓的问题，持续推动党风政风向上向好。作风建设是一场持久战，不能一蹴而就，我们既要保持目标上的清醒，确保管党治党工作更加精准、更加有效，又要保持“钉钉子”的耐力，坚持持续用力、久久为功，将作风建设的各项要求落实到每一个环节、每一个细节。

The improvement of conduct is always on the way; there is no completion. The improvement of conduct must not only see the cumulative effect of phased achievements but also clearly recognize its long-term and complex characteristics. We must adhere to precise positioning, targeted measures, and sustained implementation, absolutely avoiding a haphazard approach or superficial grasping. We must clarify goals, tasks, and responsibilities, closely integrating institutional constraints with daily supervision. By constructing normalized mechanisms, perfecting institutionalized systems, and consolidating long-term results, we integrate conduct improvement into daily life and make it a regular practice. Only by advancing with tireless tenacity and the strength of leaving marks on the rock can fine conduct become the eternal foundation of the Party’s and the people’s cause, ensuring that the Party never deteriorates, never changes its color, and never loses its flavor.

作风建设永远在路上，没有完成时。作风建设既要看到阶段性成果的积累效应，更需清醒认识到其长期性、复杂性特征。要坚持精准定位、靶向施策、持续落实，绝不能东一榔头西一棒子，绝不能泛泛而抓。要明确目标、任务和责任，将制度约束与日常监督紧密结合，通过构建常态化机制、完善制度化体系、巩固长效化成果，使作风建设融入日常、抓在经常。唯有以驰而不息的韧劲和抓铁有痕的力度持续推进，才能让优良作风成为党和人民事业发展的永恒底色，确保党永远不变质、不变色、不变味。

(Author: Wang Yanlong, researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and professor and deputy dean of the School of Marxism at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University)

（作者：王延隆，系浙江省习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员，浙江中医药大学马克思主义学院副院长、教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心