The Strategy of Five
“It’s fine for me. But please, show proper respect to the President.”
“Understood.”
Perhaps it was because of what was in Geoje, or maybe because they were right next to the shipyard, but the employees who had accompanied the rescue operation were dressed in impeccable suits. They were responding with rigid, formal honorifics in front of the Prime Minister and his aides.
“You will be seated in the very back. The seating arrangements are assigned as follows.”
“All guests, including family members, will be seated here. There is no need to inform your families. We have already provided all the necessary information based on the contact details you provided.”
“Um... what should we be doing here?”
“Ah. Just sit here, and when the announcement is made that the President is entering, everyone must stand up.”
“Ah.”
“You don’t need to greet him separately. The President will come, speak regarding the commendation, and then turn around and walk out. When that happens, our staff will give you a signal, and you should stand in the opposite order starting from here.”
“Hmm. Understood.”
“Now, I will guide you on when you receive the award. While the President is looking at the certificate as it is unfolded, the contents of the certificate will be read via the announcement system. Please, never look anywhere else; it would be best to keep your gaze on the top button of the President’s suit, or at the edge of the certificate. Photos will be taken.”
“Ah... yes. We shall do that.”
“Haha, meeting the President is quite a hassle, isn’t it?”
“It’s because there are so many reporters, sir.”
The President of the Heavy Industries division, who had been sitting in the waiting room, chimed in. He was speaking up on behalf of the nervous employees. Not that it would change anything.
“General Manager, did you sleep well last night?”
“Ah... well, more or less, yes.”
“I couldn’t even sleep properly last night.”
“You must be nervous. Still, you’ve met the President before, haven’t you?”
“I met him once when I was a Vice President. It’s not that; it’s just that when I think about going up to Seoul, I can’t breathe properly. ...Usually, when I leave Geoje and go to Seoul, somehow... the Chairman...”
Nodding, he acknowledged the feeling. He knew that oppressive, suffocating weight all too well. With a look that suggested he understood, he eased the President’s tension slightly. Then, seeing Eunbyul beckoning to him, he understood the silent request to come over and stepped into a private room inside the waiting room.
“What is it, Secretary Eun?”
“General Manager. Listen to me carefully from now on.”
“Yes, yes.”
Then, Eunbyul began to explain the outline of the operation she had established.
“First, when you receive the award today, do not make a nervous face, and do not make a happy face either. A sad face. Make it look sad.”
“But we saved everyone, so why?”
“Anyway, just make a sad and frustrated face. Do not be happy. Absolutely not. That must be captured on screen.”
What was this? He had heard that all the people were saved. He had even heard that the rescued crew members and the captain would be attending as guests. So why should he put on a sad face? Eunbyul began to explain logically and systematically why he had to do this.
“You will be giving the representative speech today, General Manager. You heard that, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Then, go up there, give a normal greeting, and then...”
“I... I haven’t prepared anything.”
“Just do it. It doesn’t matter. In fact, it’s better that you haven’t prepared.”
And then,
“It’s better that I haven’t prepared...?”
“Once you’ve finished what you had in mind, from then on, speak exactly as I told you.”
“What...?”
“You are free to improvise, but it must have meaning. General Manager, you remember the posts you read, right? That some of the people who praise you are the same people who hated, loathed, and cursed you... and that it feels fake and dirty when such people offer praise.”
In fact, quite a few such posts had appeared since then. Later on, the author of such a post even ended up fighting in the comments with someone who had cursed at him out of sheer rage. Being human, he had sympathized with that sentiment as well. Think about it. If Jia, who had only read the unfiltered news reports berating him, were to suddenly praise him today for doing a good job because he was receiving a medal—if there were people who said one should distinguish between faults and merits—
“Yes. I understand. I do want to say something to people who talk like that. If you beat someone to death and then send a wreath, does the dead person come back to life? ...But,”
“Mm-hmm.”
“General Manager, you must forgive those people today. Or actually, don’t even call it forgiveness. Just say you don’t think about those people, and instead, say that you will work even harder for the nation, the people, and the benefit of this society in the future—ask them if they wouldn’t mind watching over you. You have to speak in a way that emphasizes the public interest.”
No, why me? I’m not a public official. I am an executive of a private company...
“That’s not it. General Manager, because you are not a public official, those words will resonate even more.”
“...?”
“You see, people are like this. They hate people who do what they are supposed to do and then act like they’ve done something incredibly grand. Right?”
“That’s a given.”
“But people like those who do something incredibly grand that they didn’t have to do, and then act like it was nothing, act like it wasn’t difficult. General Manager, listen carefully. You didn’t do this work because someone told you to. But you successfully pulled off an incredibly difficult and grand task. It’s not like you were dragged out because I told you to, and you’re not the type of person to do that anyway, are you?”
Hmm. That... actually sounded pretty good.
“Then, if you go up to the podium and act like you’ve done a grand thing that you didn’t have to do, but treat it as if it were just one of many tasks, people will view you more favorably. Say that doing such a grand thing isn’t difficult, that you will continue to do such things in the future, and that because you are a person who has made mistakes and failed, you will achieve more such things than others to gain everyone’s recognition—you have to proceed in that direction.”
“So, don’t emphasize saving the ship... don’t emphasize saving people. That’s what you’re saying.”
“Of course. You shouldn’t say things like ‘I’m happy,’ ‘I’m satisfied,’ or ‘I’m glad I could help with the rescue.’ You must show extreme humility, show that you are different from the past. You must firmly project this image and become the bigger person.”
“Do I... really have to do that?”
“Of course. There is so much you can gain from this. First, among the public, those who cursed at you can reflect on themselves after hearing your speech today.”
Of course, they might still have some resentment, thinking it was even more fake, or asking who he was to comment on them cursing him. Since he was a public figure once he became famous. That was the kind of country it was.
“General Manager. If there are ten people, it is said that two will like you, three will hate you for no reason, and the remaining five will have no feelings toward you at all. That is the structure of human relationships.”
She seemed to have read a lot of books. Whenever he talked with Eunbyul, he felt his own depth of speech increasing. The metaphors Eunbyul used and the words she chose were things he often secretly learned and used himself.
“There is no need to focus on those three. Those people will hate you for no reason, whether you are rolling in the mud, hitting the top market cap, or donating a trillion won. What we need to focus on are the five.”
“Make those five people like me, is that what you’re saying?”
“Exactly. As expected, you’re smart. That is why you must give that speech.”
However, thinking that he should at least write something down and take it with him, even if it was just to read off a teleprompter, he hinted to Eunbyul about writing a script. But Eunbyul shook her head and said,
“Absolutely not.”
“...?”
“It must be entirely improvised. General Manager, sincerity moves people’s hearts. You must stand there, reveal your expressions as they are, and say what you want to say, cutting through all the fluff.”
“Suppose you show off smooth speaking skills and give a great speech—who would listen to that and remember it? What remains in people’s memories is breaking common sense and the basics. You must act as if you didn’t intend to say it, but suddenly, your emotions... are welling up! You must do it like that.”
“Especially, show the sadness or things you’ve been holding back until now. ‘I looked like I was living well until now, didn’t I? In fact, I’m covered in wounds! I feel like I’m really dying, I want to commit suicide, I have so much money but nothing works out, so I don’t know why I’m living!’ Go in that direction. You have to proceed like that.”
Listening to Eunbyul, he only hoped that this video wouldn’t end up on YouTube with a ‘comedy’ tag attached to it immediately after the speech. But it was hard to refuse. Since Eunbyul became his secretary, he had never failed by following her advice. Right. She was someone the ISG wanted to recruit. He should trust her and try it out—with that thought,
“Alright. I’ll try it that way.”
That was the reason he ended up giving that kind of speech.