Chapter 49 of the Tao Te Ching: “The sage has no fixed mind; they take the peoples mind as their own. To the good I am good. To the not-good I am also good—thus goodness is attained. To the faithful I am faithful. To the unfaithful I am also faithful—thus faith is attained.”
This is Lao Tzus highest leadership philosophy.
Ordinary leaders use power. Great leaders use systems. But the greatest leaders use heart.
“The sage has no fixed mind” means having no ego. No “I think this is how it should be,” no “I know whats right,” no my standards, my principles. Let go of yourself, and you can truly see others.
You can see employees fears, not just their performance. You can see your partners needs, not just their shortcomings. You can see every persons struggles, not just your own perspective.
This is empathy. This is not weakness—this is the most powerful leadership. When you let go of yourself, the whole world draws near. When you have no selfishness, everyone helps you succeed.
This is what Lao Tzu means: “Because they are selfless, they achieve their own purposes.”
This article is a popular interpretation of Eastern philosophical thought and does not constitute professional advice.
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