A Conversation with Yunjilink CEO Zhang Junbin: Understanding Human Nature, Bidding Farewell to Naivety

Background

Zhang Junbin founded Yunjing with a passion for product development, which he pursued intensely for a decade. However, his self-described "gentle" and conflict-averse nature, coupled with a CEO's avoidance of operational complexity, led to a significant leadership gap. While he remained insulated in the product realm, the company suffered from internal inefficiencies: departmental silos, constant staff turnover in key roles, and the departure of experienced employees. These issues accumulated unchecked, culminating in a crisis that forced Zhang to confront his shortcomings as a leader.

Key Points

• The Leadership Awakening: Zhang identified his core fault: being a product enthusiast, not a CEO. His reluctance to engage with difficult operational and human resource issues allowed problems to fester. He acknowledged that saying "everything is fine" to avoid conflict was ultimately harmful, a failure to provide the firm direction a CEO must.
• Marketing as the Critical Failure: Stepping back from product, Zhang discovered marketing was a major bottleneck. He exposed fundamental disconnects in operational metrics (e.g., "sales operations" vs. "sales" accounting) and unscientific expense allocation, which masked poor performance and inefficiency. He reframed his understanding: business success is not "Product + Marketing" (additive) but "Product x Marketing" (multiplicative); a brilliant product fails if its marketing is a zero.
• The "Founder Mode" Intervention: To catalyze rapid change, especially after key personnel shifts, Zhang chose direct, hands-on management ("Founder Mode"). He reallocated his focus to roughly 30% marketing, 30% overall operations, and 30% product. This was not about micromanaging forever, but about providing visible leadership to stabilize morale and drive reform swiftly in a time of transition.
• Philosophy on People and Trust: His experience forced a deep reflection on human nature, summarized by the proverb: "For the hundred virtues, filial piety comes first; we judge by intent, not deeds. For the ten thousand vices, lust comes first; we judge by deeds, not intent." He now evaluates team members on:
  1. Motivation: The ultimate filter. He distinguishes between those who build careers, gather resources, or build a true business with the company.
  2. Five Key Traits for Leaders (using marketing as an example): Financial acumen, deep product knowledge, cost-effective execution ("doing big things with small money"), strong channel resources, and team-building skills.
  3. Institutional Vigilance: He instituted weekly operational reviews on core marketing metrics (efficiency, scale, revenue, profit) to create a systematic monitoring rhythm. However, he stresses that "systems are the bottom line, but judgment of people is the ceiling." No KPI can fully capture intent or character.
• Embracing the CEO's "Ruthless" Role: Zhang realized that a leader cannot seek to please everyone. "Do not let everyone be happy" became a key lesson. Effective change requires achieving consensus among key stakeholders by presenting clear, data-backed benefits (e.g., "a 1% drop in return rate boosts net profit by 0.5%"), not just issuing commands. Sometimes, making tough calls on people is unavoidable.

Significance

Zhang Junbin's journey is a classic case of a technical founder's painful but necessary maturation into a holistic business leader. It underscores that product excellence alone is insufficient for scaling a company; operational rigor, marketing effectiveness, and above all, strong leadership in managing people and culture are critical. His story highlights the transition from a passion-driven creator to a strategically ruthless executor who must navigate the "gray areas" of human motivation. The tangible results—restored revenue growth, improved profitability, and reduced anxiety—validate this difficult shift, proving that confronting internal decay and embracing the full scope of the CEO role is essential for a company's survival and growth.