4 Leadership Lessons From Taoism

I personally love reading different philosophies and taking lessons from each one of them and applying it to leadership, at work and in life. Recently, I have been reading on Taoism and am ready to share a treasure house of 4 lessons on leadership, from therein.

?The Tao is a source of life, which is infinite. As per Taoism, in totality every human being is an infinite being disguised as a person, in this world. Its central idea revolves around cultivating an awareness of the infinite aspect of yourself to tap into the limitless flow of invisible and creative energy through you. For instance, you want to give back and help the less fortunate people or let’s say, maybe, you feel guilty about not spending enough time with the family. You are unable to do so because of who you are and what you do. As you relax the hold on the idea of yourself, the idea of the job you do and idea of the life you live, and seek to acquaint yourself with the infinite and creative energy flowing through you, the time and energy you require, will appear.

1.Being Like Water:

The Tao is based on fluidity rather than strict rules or structure. Mastering leadership requires a certain understanding of the fluid undercurrent in everyday life. Water is soothing because it does not fight but allows the process to unfold. It carries the ship or a boat across the seas or down the stream. On similar lines, a leader yields and does not use force to get his point across, because aggression creates resentment. When leaders focus on themselves and their sense of power, they score low on collaboration, making it difficult for team members to contribute and show up wholly. On the contrary, leaders who embody a soothing presence, empower the team, and move on once the problem is resolved without taking any credit.

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2.Unbiasedness:

By accepting things as they are, we become impartial. By being impartial, we are one with nature and by being one with nature, we are one with Tao. True leadership is like Mother nature which does not discriminate whether the Avocado tree is growing in a poor or a rich man’s backyard. It provides equal sunlight or rain. Similarly, a leader needs to do what is right, regardless of his personal likes and dislikes.

?3.Selflessness:

A leader needs to place other’s well-being before his or her own. The ability to take care of others instead of looking after his or her own self- interest, is what makes an organization a great place to work and serve. Tao Te Ching, in 17th verse, states to change the way you see authority- great leaders are those who don’t actually lead but create an environment where everyone feels that that they have a personal responsibility and feel included. The Tao advises making yourself as invisible as possible if you truly wish to be an effective leader. When a leader trusts no one, no one trusts him. The surest way to gain the trust of those you supervise is to allow them to make as many decisions as possible.

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4.Centeredness and Detachment:

Leaders will often confront challenges, an issue to resolve, a disgruntled employee and host of other problems. Tao says, instead of jumping headlong into the problem, a leader steps back, observes and then takes action. This gives the leader time and space to reflect and then take action instead of being carried away by the situation. The ability to know and understand the whole truth requires a certain sense of detachment. The wise leader knows better than being emotionally swayed in the heat of the moment. Teachings of the Tao ask you to access the sacred Tao centre of yourself.

The Tao is based on fluidity. By avoiding extremes in temperament, one becomes balanced and humble.Balanced leadership paves the path to growth and progress.

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