The "Key Minority" of Officials in Important Positions
"Leading an ox by its nose" is an important method in Xi Jinping's governance theory. He pointed out that if work is to be effective in all areas, the focus must be placed on the "key minority of officials in important positions." In his view, this "key minority" has both a duty to lead and a duty to serve as exemplars. Only if leading officials lead well and act as role models can the "key minority" pull the "great majority" along with it, thereby causing the latter to follow the former. For example, he noted that the "key minority" of leading officials must be the focus of efforts to establish a socialist law-based country, to enforce strict Party self-governance and to exercise strict supervision over leading officials at all levels; he also argued that such a focus was necessary for solving the difficult problem of overseeing those in top-ranking positions, and that the greater and the more important the responsibilities of leading officials, the more they require strong oversight.
In focusing on the "key minority", the first thing should be restraining their powers. At the same time, their thinking, their study and particularly their fulfillment of their duties must also be emphasized. The Central Committee's management and expectations of the "key minority" has become increasingly rigorous since the 18th National Congress. The higher the ranks of leading officials, the more important their positions, the greater their powers, the more strictly they should be supervised – this fully illustrates the spirit of focusing on the key minority.
“关键少数”
抓“牛鼻子”是习近平治国理政的重要方法论。他指出，各项工作要抓出成效，就必须抓住领导干部这个“关键少数”。在习近平看来，作为“关键少数”的领导干部既负有领导责任，也负有示范责任，领导干部只有带好头、做榜样，才能通过“关键少数”带动“绝大多数”。比如：习近平指出，全面依法治国，必须抓住领导干部这个“关键少数”；强调从严治党，关键是要抓住领导干部这个“关键少数”，从严管好各级领导干部；提出要抓住“关键少数”，破解一把手监督难题，领导干部责任越重大、越重要，就越要加强监督，等等。抓“关键少数”，首先是抓管住权力，同时也要抓信念、抓学习，更要抓责任落实。十八大以来，中央对于“关键少数”的管理和要求日趋严格。领导干部级别越高、位置越重要、权力越大，管理就越严格，这充分体现了抓“关键少数”的精神。