Simplicity out of Complexity: Revisiting the Evolved Leader from the Tao of Leadership

With swirling social and macroeconomic problems causing chaos in the business sector and beyond, business leaders need a source of wisdom and inspiration. The writings of the 6th-century BC philosopher, Lao Tzu, offer an authentic take on leadership that we can all draw upon through challenging times.

?The world has never felt louder. Constant calls, negative news reports, and the double-edged sword of social media fill our days with chatter and never-ending turbulence. War, inflation, and the looming specter of a recession dominate the airways. This is the environment that modern leaders need to contend with.

?Finding an authentic source of strength and wisdom is not always easy. While filtering the signal from the noise is a uniquely modern problem in our era of endless information, leaders can look to the past to find the right answers.

?Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching was written 2500 years ago. The book addresses the Chinese political rulers of the time. However, it contains incredible and authentic wisdom about leadership that is just as relevant today as it was in 5th-century BC China.

What is the message of the Tao Te Ching?

The Tao Te Ching — which roughly translates as "the way of integrity" — is an essential Taoist text. Taoism is both a religion and a school of philosophical thought that suggests the path to wisdom comes from living in harmony with the Tao, or the natural order of the universe.

?Over the course of 81 chapters, the book teaches us how to live with self-awareness, goodness, and integrity. While we all know what integrity and goodness look like, the concept of self-awareness can be a little more challenging for our productivity-obsessed 21st-century minds.

Perhaps the key to self-awareness, as expressed in Tao Te Ching, can be found in the book's 13th verse, which states, "Love the world as yourself; then you can care for all things." How different might our life and leadership be if we genuinely showed the world the same compassion, care, and understanding as we do ourselves?

?The Tao of Leadership

?Absorbing the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching is not without controversy. While the book's critical thinking about leadership and people is universal, it needs to survive through translation and interpretation. One of the best ways to access these eternal truths is through John Heider's adaptation, The Tao of Leadership.

?Written in the 1980s, the text offers a path to a type of leadership that nourishes and engages employees and fosters a culture of respect and trust. Getting to that point requires humility, self-reflection, and an acceptance and appreciation of the natural order of the world.

For Haider, by way of the Tao Te Ching, good leadership involves answering a series of questions.

●?????Who and what am I?

●?????Who and what must an effective leader be?

●?????What specifically must I understand — and accept as well as relinquish — to become such a leader?

●?????How can I help other aspiring leaders to complete that process of development?

Alongside these simple yet powerful questions, Haider offers us a way to transcend modern life's frantic and overwhelming complexities and embrace something quieter and more straightforward.

The strength of simplicity

One of the most critical parts of the Tao of Leadership deals with finding a way to orient ourselves toward the complexity of life.

First, we must accept that this is the way of the world and that it's not something we can change. However, we can recenter our distracted minds by embracing simplicity, compassion, and patience.

If we do this, we can:

●?????Be patient with those around us

●?????Be kind and compassionate with ourselves

●?????Build the strength to deal with the problems and issues we must overcome

Each quality is an essential element of leadership.

?The Tao is the path

At first, the Tao is a difficult concept to grasp. In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu explains that the Tao is not the name of something but refers to the natural order of the universe. The Tao's essential nature can't be described. However, we know what it is because we live it each day.

Consciousness presents us with an easy parallel. Describing consciousness is a difficult task. Yes, it's seeing, feeling, listening, tasting, and experiencing a raft of emotions. But it's also more than the totality of these experiences. It's hard to describe, yet it's something we know intimately about.

?The Tao has a natural order or path. At times, we deviate from this path, throwing us into disorder. However, we can return to the path by living in accordance with the Tao.

?Balance

In our highly competitive and cutthroat culture, too many people get lost in the hustle. With so much pressure on achievement and success, it's easy to forget what is important. Finding the right balance between the internal and the external are essential concepts within Taoism, represented by the Yin and Yang.

?An excessive focus on our own path means we can neglect what it means to be a leader. We can't act selflessly all the time, but the role of a leader requires us to strike a balance between the best interests of the business and its people. An organization can only flourish when its employees feel engaged, satisfied, supported, and valued.

Trust, not control

A Taoist leader has little interest in controlling people. Instead, they trust their people and encourage them to learn, grow, and achieve. Top-down, autocratic leadership styles may have worked in the past, but ruling by fear is not viable in an era where talent acquisition and retention are huge issues.

?Overly prescriptive rules and structures sap the joy and creativity of workers. A more open kind of management allows things to flow naturally, enhancing productivity and making for a healthier culture.

Leadership is not micromanagement. A great leader doesn't intervene excessively; instead, they allow the group to run itself. They give trust, responsibility, and support. They trust the process and allow employees to make the right choices.

The power of presence and attention

As we mentioned earlier, the type of self-awareness that Lao Tzu advocates involves consciously living in the moment. This patient observation is central to Taoist wisdom and understanding the flow of life.

For leaders, that means focusing on what is before them rather than being distracted or lost in other worries. Being fully present allows you to understand people and situations more clearly. It means you pick up on the subtle clues and feedback the world around you is providing.

So, silence your inner voice, and dial in. When you show your team undivided attention, it increases their connection to their work and builds trust.

?Staying centered in times of crisis

When we do the work to know who we are through quiet observance, we build the inner strength to deal with the obstacles that come our way. A Taoist leader understands that occasional crises are part of the natural order. It's also a learning opportunity. They stay centered, listen, and devise simple fixes or remedies.

?Final thoughts

The Tao of Leadership offers us a way to access the universal wisdom of Taoism and apply it to our modern lives. Good leaders serve their employees and encourage collaboration, inclusion, and respect.

?Many leaders fail because they are more concerned with ego and being in charge. They fail to understand or appreciate the broader context they are part of, and as a result, they don't get the most from their employees.

?Openness, mutual respect, and cooperation are three recurring themes in the Tao Te Ching. Their importance has not waned in the intervening 2500 years. The world is a complex place, but as leaders, we can make it simpler for our employees by facilitating a slower, more intentional work environment.

Dr. Terry Jackson is Executive Advisor, Thought Leader Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coach, Top 10 Global Mentor, and Thinkers50 Top 50 Global Coach Transformation Coach. Dr. Jackson partners with Executives and Organizations to align Strategy, People and Processes to transform and sustain Peak Business Performance.