Belief & Being Oneself

The wise leader doesn't make a show of holiness or pass out grades for good performance. That would create a climate of success and failure, then competition and jealousy follow. Likewise, emphasising material success: for those who have a lot become greedy, and those who have little become thieves.

When you reinforce appearances, people scramble to please. The wise leader pays respectful attention to all behaviour. Thus, the group becomes open to more and more possibilities of behaviour. People learn a great deal when they are open to everything and not just figuring out what pleases the leader.

"Because one believes in oneself, one doesn't try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn't need others' approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her." – Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

The wise leader shows that style is no substitute for substance, that knowing certain facts is not more powerful than simple wisdom, that creating an impression is not more potent than acting from one's center. The students learn that effective action arises out of silence and a clear sense of being. In this, they find a source of peace. They discover that the person who is down-to-earth can do what needs doing more effectively than the person who is merely busy.

Source: The Tao of Leadership – Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age by John Heider