CHANGE Your THOUGHTS - Change YOUR Life
Living the Wisdom of the Tao
Pages 76-81
17th Verse
A leader is best
When people barely know that he exists,
Not so good when people obey and acclaim him,
Worst when they despise him.
‘Fail to honor people,
They fail to honor you;’
But of a good leader, who talks little,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will all say, ‘We did this ourselves.’
Living as a Enlightened Leader
This lesson is the model of an enlightened leader.
This leader creates an environment where everyone feels a responsibility to the process
Everyone feels he is part of the process.
This advice is to leaders of all kinds such as parents and teachers.
First stay in the background and observe what’s taking place, being as invisible as possible.
Ask how you can create an environment that helps everyone behave responsibly.
Convey to the group that you trust in its ability to figure things out.
Create an environment where everyone feels they fixed things themselves.
Suspend your desire to be seen as a strong authority figure.
Inspiring leaders get results by their own example.
Encourage others to be responsible and do the right thing.
Create space for others to be inspired and achieve their own greatness.
This verse offers 3 other ways of choosing to be a leader:
1. Make a difference in the lives of others by resolving conflicts through love.
Be an instrument of love and praise others.
The drawback can be that the using approval and affections of a leader for motivation means turning one’s life over to the leader.
In the choice between love or fear, the Tao always sees love as superior.
2. The ineffectiveness of fear as a leadership style is obvious.
People will only do what is desired as long as the leader has power to threaten them.
When the leader leaves, the influence leaves.
3. The least effective means for managing others is to use tactics to cause them to despise you.
The moment you leave they defy all you say and stand for, as with dictators.
The people may rise up and threaten the leader in the same intolerable fashion in which they’ve been treated.
The enlightened leader trusts those with whom he is in position to govern.
This results in trust by the people in turn.
The people feel self sufficient and are able to say “we did it ourselves.”
Lao-Tzu is offering for today:
Instead of believing you know what’s best for others,
Trust that they know what’s best for themselves.
Remember this phrase: “When a leader trusts no one, no one trust him.”
To gain the faith of others, allow them to make as many decisions as possible.
Take pride in refusing to take credit
For the achievements of others.
Let praise go to those who are the beneficiaries of your leadership.
Suspend your self interest.
This is how Hafiz described it in his 14th C poetry:
Even
After
All this time
The sun never says to the earth,
“You owe
Me.”
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the
Whole
Sky.
Love those you’re entrusted to lead, as the sun loves our planet, never demanding anything in return.
Do the Tao Now
Choose some situations with your children (or anyone you’ve been designated to supervise) and become an active observer. Nod, smile, frown or gesture where you would have interfered. Notice how your active listening impacts them.