Capítulo 674: Chapter 603: Powerlessness and Projection

In psychological intervention, the challenge is not the difficulties themselves, but the lack of their presentation.

After pondering for a moment, Nan Zhubin confirmed the strategy to use next.

His body posture switched from leaning slightly forward to completely reclining against the back of his chair.

The serious expression on his face, which indicated problem-solving, softened, revealing a trace of understanding and helplessness.

This was to signal a shared stance to the visitor by altering his posture and expression, thereby quickly lowering the visitor’s defensive alertness.

“Team Leader Li, you’re very perceptive,” Nan Zhubin’s voice was steady, “Indeed, if following the standard process, I’m likely to ask those questions next.”

Nan Zhubin did not deny Team Leader Li’s assumption, but directly acknowledged it.

This could avoid meaningless debates over trust and lead the consultation into a more controllable direction.

“This shows you’ve thought deeply about your situation and how others might respond.”

Of course, apart from the choice of conversation direction, Nan Zhubin employed a small technique. His voice turned low and deep, carrying the ability of Emotion Soothing.

Team Leader Li was clearly not expecting such a response from Nan Zhubin; it did not match what he anticipated from the “conversation” style.

He thought Nan Zhubin would rebut and cover up, or choose to divert the topic—much like those who had talked to him before.

Extreme emotions come and go quickly; when the peak of anger finds no suitable opponent, it dissipates rapidly, letting the emotions settle.

Team Leader Li’s tightly pressed lips softened a bit, but the frown remained tense. He turned his head slightly and smacked his lips: “What use is thinking? Thinking doesn’t change anything.”

“Perhaps thinking hasn’t temporarily changed external facts,” Nan Zhubin responded, “But it has allowed you to clearly see the dead-end path this conversation might take. This in itself is valuable, at least saving us the next… fifteen minutes of ineffective dialogue.”

“And the time saved, as you mentioned when you first came in—can be used for serious matters, such as disaster relief coordination, or pushing for supplies.”

Nan Zhubin continued to take responsibility for the “standard process being ineffective” and turned this negative situation into a positive feedback of “time-saving.”

Meanwhile, he further built the alliance between him and Team Leader Li by continuously using the term “we both.”

Team Leader Li fell into silence.

Although Nan Zhubin brought up “doing serious matters,” and Team Leader Li was indeed eager to “do serious matters” when entering the room.

But when Nan Zhubin reintroduced this after the conversation, Team Leader Li no longer seemed in a hurry to leave.

He just sat in the chair, took a sip of mineral water—this sip was smaller than before.

Nan Zhubin knew his response was effective and pressed on.

He spread his hands, made a slightly teasing surrender gesture: “See, you’ve pointed out the route I was going to take. So, I have to be honest and choose another way. Honestly, your situation, according to what I learned in textbooks, belongs to a particularly tricky type.”

With another instance of self-exposure, while lowering the dimension of his identity.

After this sentence, Nan Zhubin was no longer a psychology expert tasked with talking to Team Leader Li; but an ordinary person with knowledge in psychology, coming to communicate and perhaps discuss something with Team Leader Li.

Of course, if facing more hostile visitors, they might seize the opportunity to exert pressure on Nan Zhubin with a high posture.

But Team Leader Li was obviously not such a person.

Li Ming lifted his eyelids, gave Nan Zhubin a serious glance: “Tricky?”

He inadvertently followed Nan Zhubin’s prompting and started exploring the issue together.

“Yes, tricky,” Nan Zhubin nodded, “Not because there’s something seriously wrong with your issues, but because you’re too smart, too clear-headed. Ordinary comforting and guiding is like scratching an itch through a boot for you, and as you said—could become nonsense.”

Nan Zhubin continued to thoroughly dissect the current situation, as if genuinely exploring an issue.

Moreover, he attempted to invite Team Leader Li to—solve the “problem.”

Nan Zhubin deliberately paused, watching Team Leader Li’s reaction.

Seeing the other party lean forward slightly, showing interest in listening, Nan Zhubin launched the core turning point:

“So, can we first refrain from making ‘right or wrong’ judgments? Nor argue about whether the logistics department has issues. Can we just conduct a hypothetical discussion?”

Li Ming hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “Hypothetical? Go ahead.”

…

Finally, he was brought back.

Nan Zhubin sighed in relief inwardly.

“Alright.” Yet Nan Zhubin maintained his composure, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Team Leader Li attentively, “Let’s hypothesize—just a hypothesis—that the operating efficiency of the logistics department is like the poor road conditions and weather in this disaster area, an objectively existing, massive, and dysfunctional ‘systemic issue.'”

Nan Zhubin pointed out the key: “It’s slow, but it’s not targeting anyone; it’s slow for everyone because it inherently bears a capacity beyond its design.”

“It indeed has issues, but the problem lies with those ‘designers’.”

This differed from prior exchanges between Team Leader Li and past guides, where Nan Zhubin didn’t downplay the issue but instead transferred it.