Leaders must remember: a lack of small forbearance can wreck big plans.
Tips
history
From 《论语·卫灵公》: 巧言乱德，小不忍则乱大谋。(Clever words disturb virtue; lack of forbearance in small things wrecks the great plan.) Confucius's warning against short-term emotion overriding long-term strategy. The phrase became a canonical chengyu found in Xinhua's chengyu dictionary.
usage
The 忍 here is 'to endure / hold back' — especially holding one's tongue or temper. Common in leadership and negotiation contexts, and in parents' advice to hot-tempered children.
