---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For this reason the gentleman will employ…"
description: "\"“For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyalty, will employ him close at hand and observe his ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/confucius-164_goals_for-this-reason-the-gentleman-will-emplo_2123114.jpg"
---

#  For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a…

![“For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyalty, will employ him close at hand and observe his degree of respect. He will hand him troublesome affairs and observe how well he manages them, will suddenly ask his advice and observe how wisely he…” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/confucius-164_goals_for-this-reason-the-gentleman-will-emplo_2123114.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/confucius-164_goals_for-this-reason-the-gentleman-will-emplo_2123114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/829/confucius-164_goals_for-this-reason-the-gentleman-will-emplo_2123114.jpg)

> ““For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyalty, will employ him close at hand and observe his degree of respect. He will hand him troublesome affairs and observe how well he manages them, will suddenly ask his advice and observe how wisely he answers. He will exact some difficult promise from him and see how well he keeps it, turn over funds to him and see with what benevolence he dispenses them, inform him of the danger he is in and note how faithful he is to his duties. He will get him drunk with wine and observe how well he handles himself, place him in mixed company and see what effect beauty has upon him. By applying these nine tests, you may determine who is the unworthy man.””

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A leader tests loyalty, respect, competence, wisdom, generosity, fidelity, self‑control, and moral influence through varied challenges.

**In simple terms:** Leaders assess character via trials.

Key Takeaway

Observe behavior under pressure.

Themes

leadership character trust

Mood

instructive analytical

Type

ethical practical

When to use this quote

- hiring
- team building
- mentorship
- crisis management

Key Concepts

virtue ethics assessment methods

Questions to Reflect On

- Which test best reveals integrity?
- How can leaders balance testing with trust?

A Different Perspective

Tests may not reveal true character under all circumstances.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Affairs Observe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affairs-observe-4341009/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Gentleman Employ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman-employ-4341008/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Loyalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalty/) [Loyalty Employ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalty-employ-4341006/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Unworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unworthy/) [Worthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthy/)

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## More by Confucius

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