Lead by Following

Today I was involved in an interesting conversation on the concept of Leadership ranging from current Management thinking and progressing back towards more esoteric texts that touch on the concept of leadership.

This brought the conversation back to the Tao Te Ching (In English “Way Virtue Classic” or more commonly “the Classic of the Way and it Virtue”) and seeing the connection between the words of Lao Tzu and my work. The orginal text was written around the late 4th and early 3rd century BC.

Looking at current leadership thinking which is mostly focused on developing, growing and empowering individuals within the team. This has grown in recent times from the motivational and spread across the management thinking. It brings me back to the same section of the text everytime:

In order to master people
One must speak as their servant;
In order to lead people
One must follow them.

So when the sage rises above the people,
They do not feel oppressed;
And when the sage stands before the people,
They do not feel hindered.

Tao Te Ching.org From Chapter 66. Lead by Following

This passage has influenced me in my understanding of what leadership should be although it has been something that I have struggled to implement in my own leadership style.

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