Examine Virtue and Talent in Small Matters, Assess Moral Integrity and Ability in Major Affairs

The key to governance lies in securing the right people. In July 2018, at the National Conference on Organizational Work, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Cadre assessment should be regularized, institutionalized, and cover all personnel, devoting effort to ordinary times to understand cadres comprehensively and through multiple channels, while also focusing on understanding their performance in completing urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks, handling complex problems, and responding to major tests—examining virtue and talent in small matters, and even more so assessing moral integrity and ability in major affairs." This important exposition profoundly reveals the scientific method of cadre assessment in the New Era, effectively rectifies the orientation for selecting and appointing personnel, and provides fundamental guidance for building a contingent of loyal, clean, and responsible cadres and for guiding Party members and leading cadres to establish and practice a correct outlook on political performance.

为政之要，惟在得人。2018年7月，习近平总书记在全国组织工作会议上深刻指出：“考核干部要经常化、制度化、全覆盖，既把功夫下在平时，全方位、多渠道了解干部，又注重了解干部在完成急难险重任务、处理复杂问题、应对重大考验中的表现，既在小事上察德辨才，更在大事上看德识才。”这一重要论述，深刻揭示了新时代干部考核的科学方法，有力匡正选人用人导向，为建设忠诚干净担当的干部队伍、引导广大党员干部树立和践行正确政绩观提供了根本遵循。

Small matters are the basic surface for examining the conduct and quality of Party members and leading cadres, and they best reveal the underlying character and reflect the original aspiration. Examining virtue in small matters focuses on every word and deed, every move, comprehensively inspecting whether Party members and leading cadres remain loyal to the Party and the people, firmly uphold ideals and convictions, and strictly guard political bottom lines and the boundaries of power and responsibility; whether they are diligent, pragmatic, steady, and down-to-earth in daily work; whether they stand firmly on the side of the masses and respond to their demands with sincerity and care; and whether they adhere to clean self-cultivation and clean family governance, practicing prudence when alone and in small matters, and being strict with themselves. Examining talent in small matters emphasizes discerning the foundational competence of Party members and leading cadres in performing their regular duties. Based on concrete practices such as daily theoretical study, professional deepening, law-based performance of duties, and service to people's livelihoods, it examines whether Party members and leading cadres possess the competence and quality required to meet the demands of performing duties in the New Era, and whether they can truly "be seen in ordinary times" in their ordinary posts. It is in the ordinary that skill is most evident, and in the subtle that the true heart is most revealed. The steadfastness of Party members and leading cadres in small matters is precisely the foundation of confidence for stepping forward and taking responsibility at critical moments.

小事是检视党员干部品行素养的基本面，最能彰显底色、映照初心。小事察德，聚焦一言一行、一举一动，全方位检视党员干部是否始终忠诚于党和人民、坚定理想信念，严守政治底线与权责边界；是否在日常工作中勤勉务实、沉稳踏实；是否站稳群众立场、用心用情回应群众诉求；是否坚持廉洁修身、廉洁齐家，做到慎独慎微、严于律己。小事辨才，重在辨别党员干部常态履职的能力功底。立足日常理论学习、业务深耕、依规履职、民生服务等具体实践，考察党员干部是否具备适应新时代履职要求的能力素养，能否在平凡岗位上真正做到“平常时候看得出来”。平凡之处最见功力，细微之中最显本心。党员干部在小事上的坚守，正是关键时刻挺身而出、担当作为的底气根基。

Major affairs are concentrated in key junctures such as the implementation of major strategies, the prevention of systemic risks, and the resolution of deep-seated contradictions. They are the touchstone for demonstrating the ability and competence of Party members and leading cadres, and best forge their mettle and distinguish true talent. Assessing moral integrity in major affairs values the great virtue and overall perspective of Party members and leading cadres in conducting themselves and governing: whether they have solidified the foundation of faith, taken a clear-cut stand on issues of major principle, dared to struggle in the face of risks and tests, and remained steadfast in the face of various temptations; whether they bear the overall situation in mind and are adept at calculating the big picture and planning for the long term; and whether they take the initiative to shoulder responsibility and meet challenges head-on in times of crisis, standing up and risking everything at critical moments. Recognizing talent in major affairs focuses on the ability of Party members and leading cadres to manage complex situations and respond to major challenges, such as the capacity for judgment and handling in coordinating the prevention of major risks in the political, economic, and other spheres; the executive ability to dare to venture and experiment, and to tackle tough problems in deepening comprehensive reform; the strategic command ability to discern the trends of the times, grasp the laws of development, and coordinate overall work; and the practical ability to break through bottlenecks in people's livelihoods and promote the quality and efficiency of undertakings. Outstanding performance in major tests is the most powerful and credible confirmation of the work ability of Party members and leading cadres.

大事集中体现为重大战略落地、系统性风险防范、深层次矛盾化解等关键节点，是体现党员干部能力本领的试金石，最能锻造筋骨、甄别良才。大事看德，看重的是党员干部立身从政的大德与大局：是否筑牢信仰之基，在大是大非面前旗帜鲜明，在风险考验面前敢于斗争，在各类诱惑面前立场坚定；是否胸怀大局，善于算大账、谋长远；是否在危难时刻主动担当、迎难而上，关键时刻站得出来、豁得出去。大事识才，聚焦党员干部驾驭复杂局面、应对重大挑战的能力，比如统筹防范政治、经济等领域重大风险的研判力、处置力；投身全面深化改革，敢闯敢试、攻坚克难的执行力；洞悉时代大势、把握发展规律、统筹全局工作的战略把控力；破解民生堵点、推动事业提质增效的实干攻坚能力。重大考验中的过硬表现，是对党员干部工作能力最有力、最可信的印证。

Daily conduct is the underlying color, and responsibility in major affairs is the finishing touch. "Examining virtue and talent in small matters, and even more so assessing moral integrity and ability in major affairs" contains profound dialectical thinking. Cadre assessment must not be one-sided or biased, nor go to extremes. It is necessary to coordinate "small matters" and "major affairs." If only "small matters" or only "major affairs" are emphasized, assessment will remain superficial and formalistic, making it difficult to truly discern the spirit of struggle and the ability to take responsibility of Party members and leading cadres, and will also dampen their enthusiasm for solving difficult problems and breaking through barriers. Only by combining daily work with critical moments can cadres be evaluated in a three-dimensional, comprehensive, objective, and fair manner. It is necessary to balance "virtue" and "talent." General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The standard for good cadres, broadly speaking, is having both virtue and talent." Adhering to having both virtue and talent is the only way to uphold the core yardstick for selecting and appointing personnel. Practice has also repeatedly proven: talent without virtue will ruin things, virtue without talent will delay things, and only those with both virtue and talent can accomplish things. It is necessary to balance "examining" and "discerning," and "observing" and "recognizing." "Examining" emphasizes deep excavation and careful reflection, "discerning" values distinguishing truth from falsehood, "observing" is based on macro-level control, and "recognizing" requires comprehensive analysis and judgment. Only by integrating all four can assessment have a basis to rely on, a trace to follow, and a standard to uphold.

日常品行是底色，大事担当是成色。“既在小事上察德辨才，更在大事上看德识才”，蕴含着深刻的辩证思维。干部考核不能片面偏颇、走向极端。要统筹“小事”与“大事”。只重“小事”或“大事”，考核便浮于表面、流于形式，难以真正甄别党员干部斗争精神、担当本领，也会挫伤其解难题、闯难关的积极性。唯有把日常工作与关键时刻结合起来，才能立体全面、客观公正评价干部。要兼顾“德”与“才”。习近平总书记强调：“好干部的标准，大的方面说，就是德才兼备。”坚持德才兼备，方能守住选人用人的核心标尺。实践也反复证明：有才无德会坏事，有德无才会误事，有德有才方能干成事。要兼顾“察”与“辨”、“看”与“识”。“察”重在深挖细照，“辨”贵在去伪存真，“看”立足宏观把控，“识”要求综合研判，只有把四者贯通起来，方能使考核有据可依、有迹可循、有度可守。