17/08/2018
What makes a leader?
What the TAO can teach you about leadership...
The 81 verses of theTao Te Ching, that when applied to leadership can assist you to tap into an amazing power. Not a power of position, like that of a politician, influential figure or executive. Rather, power like the sun, ubiquitous across the planet, free for anyone to access.
Imagine having this intrinsic power as a leader, making available indelible energy to grow people, teams and companies while also recharging yourself to endure in your work. This is the secret to great success, mastering your leadership work from the inside so that the job outside can be executed with care, creating a path of inclusion and leaving a trail of life behind it. It becomes not just about getting the job done at all costs, but getting the job done with sustainable excellence, making the universe larger, enriching peopleβs lives and creating a better world.
Hereβs an example: Verse 17 says the leaderβs way is to work without self-interest, to leave no trace; when the work is finished, the people say, βWe did it ourselves.β
This verse speaks about servant leadership in its highest form. The wise leader guides and builds his or her team in a way that shows no trace of their effort, and empowers the team to accomplish more than they ever thought possible. To be a servant is the core of leadership power.