Leading cadres are the “critical few” in the development of the Party and the country’s cause, serving as a guiding beacon for the entire Party and society at large. In terms of style building, leading cadres setting a good example through their own conduct is a silent yet powerful demonstration. How can leading cadres at all levels consciously cultivate a solid work ethic and better play their roles as pioneers, role models, and leaders? Leading cadres must not only be strict with themselves but also assume full responsibility and exercise rigorous oversight over those under their jurisdiction. How can we further strengthen their sense of responsibility and firmly shoulder the political duty of governing and administering the Party? At present, what are the common and recurrent problems in terms of style among leading cadres—especially the “key few” such as “principal officials”? How can we more effectively strengthen supervision over these “key few” and strictly investigate and punish issues related to misconduct and corruption? We have specially invited discipline inspection and supervision officials to share their insights and experiences.

In terms of style building, leading cadres setting a good example is a silent form of demonstration. How can leading cadres at all levels consciously cultivate a solid work ethic and better play their roles as pioneers, role models, and leaders?

Leading Party members and cadres must, in accordance with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instruction that “leading cadres at all levels should take the lead in changing their work styles, practice what they preach, set an example from the top down, and create a ‘leading goose effect’,” consciously cultivate a solid and rigorous work style and ensure that the string of self-revolution is tightened even further.

We must always place great emphasis on cultivating Party spirit. When it comes to issues of work style, Party spirit is the decisive factor. Leading cadres must regard cultivating Party spirit and enhancing ideological awareness as a lifelong task—continuously learning, refining themselves, and striving for self-improvement throughout their lives. They should draw nourishment for their Party spirit from the Party’s innovative theories. At present, we should take the ongoing in-depth study and education on the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulation as an opportunity to thoroughly study General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important remarks on strengthening the Party’s work style. We should proactively compare ourselves against these principles and regularly engage in self-reflection, constantly reinforcing our sense of Party consciousness, Party member consciousness, and the Party’s purpose. We must correctly handle the relationships between right and wrong, public and private interests, gain and loss. By establishing a solid foundation and staying true to our original aspirations, we can continuously enhance our immunity to unhealthy tendencies and evil practices.

Always prioritize seeking truth and being pragmatic. Firmly establish the correct view of political achievements, bearing in mind that serving the people and bringing them real benefits is the greatest achievement. Closely follow the evolving trends of the times and the requirements of our duties and responsibilities; consciously enhance our learning across various fields; and faithfully implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee. Make good use of investigation and research—a treasured legacy—strengthen our awareness of the masses and our sense of purpose, and put great effort into gaining a true understanding of the situation, devising practical measures, and pursuing tangible results, thereby ensuring that our work yields concrete outcomes that the people can feel and benefit from.

Always place great emphasis on taking responsibility and getting things done. Adhere to focusing on the central tasks and serving the overall situation; in the key tasks of deepening reform, neither wait passively nor rely on others, and avoid procrastination or delay. Strengthen the cultivation of a fighting spirit and combat capabilities. For tasks that are complex, innovative, and exploratory, dare to tackle tough challenges and venture into uncharted waters. With the spirit of driving nails home, energetically remove institutional and systemic barriers and pool powerful synergy to promote high-quality development.

Always pay close attention to strict self-discipline. Firmly uphold the bottom line of discipline, abide by Party rules and state laws, thoroughly implement the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations, and resolutely put an end to such issues as illegally accepting or giving gifts and money, and using public funds for banquets and entertainment. Strictly maintain the boundary between public and private interests, take the lead in opposing privileged thinking, and never seek personal gain or turn a blind eye to special treatment for relatives and friends. Always remain honest and upright, keep a clear head when confronted with various temptations, and proactively accept supervision from both the organization and the masses.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the building of work styles among Party members and cadres, especially among leading officials. He emphasized that “it is far more effective to lead by example from the front than to ask others to do something while you yourself stand behind and push them along.” He also pointed out that “leading officials’ consistent adherence to personal integrity and setting a good example in all aspects constitute an effective leadership and working approach.” Only when leading officials themselves are firm and upright can they command public trust; only by setting a personal example can they inspire others. Therefore, leading officials must take the lead and serve as role models in the building of work styles.

We must deeply study and thoroughly comprehend the Party’s innovative theories. Leading cadres, to be upright and possess a solid work style, must persistently use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to strengthen their convictions and forge their souls. They should earnestly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on strengthening the Party’s work style, thereby elevating their ideological horizons, enhancing their Party spirit and moral cultivation, and fostering excellent work styles. They must stand firm and clear-cut in matters of right and wrong, remain sharp-minded when confronted with principled issues, and remain unmoved by various temptations, thus forever preserving the political integrity and incorruptibility that are hallmarks of communists.

We must take the lead and proactively step forward with a sense of responsibility. When the “key few” are determined to get things done and pursue truth and pragmatism, the “vast majority” will stay committed to their posts and fulfill their duties conscientiously. Leading cadres must more consciously establish and practice the right views on power, performance, and career—always keeping in mind the interests of the Party and the people when thinking about issues, making decisions, and carrying out tasks. They must consistently maintain a vigorous and enterprising spirit and a work ethic characterized by dedication and diligence, taking the initiative to uphold political principles, promote development, benefit the people, and ensure security. They should actively stand at the forefront of reform and development, on the front lines of urgent, difficult, and dangerous tasks, and at the very vanguard of major struggles—acting with integrity, daring to shoulder responsibilities, and wholeheartedly seeing matters through to completion. By demonstrating commitment, they can unite people’s hearts; through solid achievements, they can guide and inspire the entire team.

We must strictly abide by rules and regulations and maintain integrity and uprightness. Leading cadres should regard seeking personal gain through abuse of power and engaging in corruption as a grave disgrace. They should value moral integrity, remain detached from fame and fortune, prioritize their careers over personal desires, and consciously uphold the spirit of the Central Government’s Eight-Point Regulations. They should take the lead in opposing privileged thinking, rigorously cultivate family traditions and education, and promote a new ethos of honesty and integrity. By maintaining a clean and upright demeanor, they should clearly define boundaries in interpersonal interactions and strictly adhere to discipline and rules through careful attention to initial intentions, solitary self-discipline, and vigilance in minor matters, thereby continuously achieving new successes in strengthening work style.

Leading cadres must not only hold themselves to strict standards but also shoulder their responsibilities rigorously and exercise tight oversight over those under their jurisdiction. How can we further strengthen our sense of responsibility and firmly uphold the political duty of governing and administering the Party?

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the principal responsibility for Party governance, the supervisory responsibility, the responsibility of the person in charge as the first responsible party, and the “dual-responsibility” system for each post together form a complete chain of responsibilities, and each of these responsibilities must be rigorously implemented. Leading cadres at all levels must deeply grasp the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech, clearly identify their positions within the chain of responsibilities for Party governance, truly understand their responsibilities in their hearts, shoulder their responsibilities with their own actions, and fulfill their responsibilities through concrete deeds.

Deepen strict management and governance in the course of fulfilling responsibilities. Leading cadres at all levels, as the “key minority,” must resolutely shoulder the responsibility of governing and administering the Party, strictly discipline themselves, earnestly assume their responsibilities, and rigorously manage the areas under their jurisdiction. They should oversee not only ideological and work-related matters but also conduct and discipline. They must firmly correct practices such as focusing solely on business while neglecting discipline and integrity, or prioritizing development over combating corruption. It is essential to genuinely foster an atmosphere of strictness and establish a sound, upright ethos. Party committee (Party group) secretaries must always act as the primary persons responsible for Party governance and administration, taking the lead as the first责任人, strengthening the leadership team, guiding the workforce, and assuming full responsibility for the Party’s political environment within their respective regions, departments, and units, as well as for the healthy growth of cadres. They must continuously pass on responsibilities to all members of the leadership team and impose them on the principal leaders of lower-level Party organizations, ensuring that responsibilities are effectively implemented. They must consistently combine both strategic leadership and hands-on execution—personally deploying key tasks, personally addressing major issues, personally coordinating critical stages, and personally supervising important cases. Other members of the leadership team must, in accordance with the requirement of “dual responsibility for each post,” lead, inspect, and supervise the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party within their respective departments and units. They must rigorously educate, manage, and supervise Party members and cadres under their purview, daring to confront problems head-on, boldly taking charge and enforcing discipline, and promptly addressing emerging trends and potential issues. The Commission for Discipline Inspection must resolutely uphold its supervisory responsibilities and use supervision and accountability to promote the fulfillment and conscientious performance of duties. It must focus on implementing the “chain of responsibility” for comprehensive and strict Party governance, urging Party committee (Party group) secretaries to earnestly fulfill their primary responsibilities and leadership team members to implement their “dual responsibility for each post.” Those who fail to take responsibility in governing and administering the Party must be held seriously accountable; every instance of dereliction of duty must be investigated, and those found guilty must face severe consequences, thereby ensuring that every responsibility in Party governance and administration is truly put into practice.

Leading cadres at all levels, as the “key minority,” must firmly shoulder the responsibility of governing and administering the Party. They must not only set a good example by holding themselves to strict standards but also take full responsibility, exercise rigorous oversight over their jurisdictions, and ensure effective implementation. They should focus on fostering a political environment characterized by integrity and uprightness, thereby providing strong guarantees for deepening and advancing comprehensive and strict governance of the Party.

Deepen ideological cultivation and forge a strong spiritual core. Only when our thinking is unified can our actions be consistent. During the 21st collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that in advancing the Party’s self-revolution, we must further strengthen implementation in areas such as enhancing awareness, bolstering Party spirit, standardizing the exercise of power, strictly enforcing discipline and supervision, and fulfilling responsibilities for Party management and governance. Leading cadres at all levels must study deeply and thoroughly, using methods such as leading study sessions organized by theoretical study groups and specialized reading classes, to deeply recognize from the heart the importance of governing and managing the Party and the responsibilities they themselves bear. We must start with small details and address specific issues head-on, ensuring that stringent standards and rigorous measures are integrated throughout the entire process and all aspects of Party management and governance.

Highlight exemplary leadership. Leading cadres should leverage the “lead goose effect,” inspire “collective awareness among geese,” and set an example in strengthening work style, thereby demonstrating exemplary conduct. They should take the lead in transforming their own work styles, proactively identifying and rectifying issues during the thorough study and implementation of the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulations, and ensure that education is conducted in an open and transparent manner. They should also take the lead in accepting supervision, truthfully reporting personal matters, and voluntarily submitting to organizational oversight and public evaluation. Moreover, they should take the lead in strictly managing family conduct, rigorously restraining relatives and staff members around them, practicing integrity within the family and enforcing strict discipline at home, thus playing a positive role in driving others forward.

Tighten the chain of responsibility. Governing the Party and administering it strictly is a shared political responsibility of Party organizations at all levels as well as leading cadres and Party members. The secretaries of Party committees (Party leading groups) must fulfill their primary responsibility as the first persons in charge of comprehensively enforcing strict Party governance, consciously regarding Party governance and administration as their own duty and obligation. They must earnestly safeguard their own “area of responsibility,” dare to take charge and manage rigorously, and strengthen daily education, supervision, and management of cadres. They should identify and address emerging trends and potential problems at an early stage, nip them in the bud, and prevent minor issues from escalating. By shouldering the political responsibility for comprehensively enforcing strict Party governance, they must also pass on this responsibility to their fellow committee members and the “leading officials” of lower-level Party organizations, ensuring that responsibilities are implemented at every level. Committee members must earnestly fulfill their “dual responsibilities”—effectively carrying out Party building work within their respective departments and units, ensuring that no one is overlooked, no task is neglected, and no link in the chain is broken.

Currently, what are the common and frequent problems in terms of work style among leading cadres—especially the “key few” such as “top leaders”? What disciplinary and legal regulations do these problems violate?

The “top leader” is the key among the “key few,” yet in supervisory practice, problems such as reluctance to supervise the “top leader,” gaps in supervision, and weak supervisory efforts still persist to varying degrees. Moreover, instances of the “top leader” and other “key few” violating discipline despite warnings continue to occur from time to time. Based on recent investigation cases, leading cadres—especially the “top leaders” and other “key few”—primarily exhibit the following common and frequently occurring issues in terms of work style.

Regarding hedonism and extravagance, since 2022, among the cases involving county- and bureau-level leading cadres investigated in Jinan City for issues related to hedonism and extravagance, the top-ranking offenses have been: illegally receiving and giving expensive local specialties, gifts, and cash; engaging in improper dining and drinking; improperly issuing allowances, subsidies, or benefits; and improperly accepting travel arrangements. These four types of violations together accounted for 94.4% of all cases involving county- and bureau-level leading cadres found guilty of hedonism and extravagance. From the perspective of their manifestations, as stringent punishment and governance continue, some problems have taken on new forms, become more sophisticated, and gone underground. For instance, some have shifted their dining and drinking activities to internal canteens, "one-table meals," high-end clubs, and other similar venues; others have started using logistics delivery services and pickup vouchers to give and receive gifts; still others have disguisedly accepted cash gifts under the guise of lecture fees, consulting fees, or expert review fees; and yet others have used terms such as research and training, study tours, and Party-building activities as pretexts to "hijack" tourism. We must remain highly vigilant against these hidden and evolving trends.

Regarding formalism and bureaucracy, based on the cases of formalistic and bureaucratic issues involving county- and bureau-level leading cadres investigated by Jinan City since 2022, the issue of failing to take responsibility and being inactive stands out, accounting for 89.3% of all formalistic and bureaucratic problems. This manifests primarily as a failure to assume responsibility and act appropriately in performing duties, serving economic and social development, and protecting the ecological environment. In terms of specific manifestations, some “leading officials” fail to fully implement their primary responsibilities for Party governance and discipline enforcement, conducting work neither resolutely nor proactively. Others have distorted views on political achievements, prioritizing superficial appearances over actual effectiveness—and even resorting to falsification and deception. Still others’ inaction or improper actions have led to significant losses.

The phenomenon of intertwined corruption and misconduct is becoming increasingly prominent. At the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, it was emphasized that the interplay between corruption and misconduct represents a pressing issue that must be tackled head-on in the current stage of Party conduct and integrity building as well as in the fight against corruption. Looking at the cases of corruption involving officials under municipal-level management investigated in our city, many leading cadres have allowed themselves to become lax on “small matters and minor details,” ultimately spiraling into reckless behavior on major principles and fundamental issues. The “Four Winds” problems—hidden in a meal, a pack of cigarettes, or a card—are often the very starting point of a leader’s moral decline, and behind them may well lie intricate webs of connections and chains of vested interests.

From the perspective of supervisory and disciplinary enforcement practices, the problem of misconduct among a small number of leading cadres remains persistent despite ongoing efforts to curb it.

Some officials become detached from reality and alienated from the masses, engaging in arbitrary decision-making and mechanical implementation. Others are keen on creating hype and seeking attention, chasing after empty fame and putting on a superficial show. Still others indulge in endless meetings and paperwork—holding too many meetings, issuing an excessive number of documents, and simply copying and pasting standard supporting documents without any adaptation to local conditions, resulting in uniformity at all levels. And so on. Regarding these practices of formalism and bureaucratic inefficiency, Article 132 of the "Disciplinary Regulations of the Communist Party of China" stipulates that those directly responsible and those bearing leadership responsibility shall be given disciplinary actions ranging from a warning to expulsion from the Party, depending on the severity of the offense. Article 7 of the "Accountability Regulations of the Communist Party of China" further provides that if officials fail to act, act improperly, act slowly, or act insincerely on issues that directly affect the most pressing, immediate, and realistic interests of the people, thereby causing serious negative impacts, they shall be held accountable.

Some individuals lead extravagant lives, indulging in luxury and seeking “high-end” experiences. For example, they illegally accept banquets arranged by those under their management or service, enjoying high-end cuisine and premium cigarettes and alcohol; they illegally frequent private clubs for dining and drinking; they are keen on giving and receiving expensive gifts such as high-end cigarettes and alcohol, rare medicinal herbs, exorbitantly priced teas, and other precious specialties and monetary gifts; and they illegally accept travel, fitness, and entertainment arrangements provided by those under their management or service. In this regard, Articles 97, 101, 102, and 150 of the "Disciplinary Regulations of the Communist Party of China" clearly specify the penalties for such behaviors. Meanwhile, according to Article 34 of the "Administrative Disciplinary Measures Law for Public Officials of the People's Republic of China," offering public officials and their specific related persons gifts, money, securities, or other property that could influence the impartial exercise of public power, or accepting or providing arrangements for banquets, tours, fitness activities, or entertainment that might compromise the impartial exercise of public power, will all be dealt with severely.

Some individuals squander public funds and engage in extravagant waste. For example, they improperly equip, purchase, replace, decorate, or use official vehicles; illegally construct office buildings or carry out lavish renovations; improperly rent or occupy guest rooms or other venues with public funds for personal use; or conduct official hospitality beyond prescribed standards. The “Disciplinary Regulations of the Communist Party of China,” Articles 116, 117, and 119, among others, clearly specify the disciplinary measures applicable to such behaviors. Meanwhile, Article 57 of the “Regulations on Promoting Frugality and Opposing Waste in Party and Government Organs” stipulates that if a region, department, or unit exhibits serious problems of extravagance and luxury, the principal person in charge or relevant leading officials bearing leadership responsibility shall be held accountable according to regulations, discipline, and law.