The Way and the Power of Virtue

The best leaders are those whose subordinates know that they are there for them; The next best leaders see and are seen by their subordinates and are praised by them; Next are those leaders who are feared by and threaten their subordinates; Next are those who are reviled by their subordinates  – everyone’s criticism flows like a woman’s hair. When there is insufficient trust in upper leadership,  there is untrustworthiness among subordinates. Even when far away, people value their words. When successes are achieved and matters attended to,  the masses all proclaim: “we did it on our own.” This passage describes the Way of a Leader .   The best leaders are those whose subordinates know that their leaders are there for them.  The next best are those who see – and are seen by – their subordinates as whole people rather than just an object or an asset to be used .  Such leaders are approachable and show up for their subordinates in holistic ...

  In speech, excel in being honest and trustworthy; in governance, excel in bringing order; in human affairs, excel in skill; in action, excel in timing.   In all cases, it is only because they don’t contend – this is why they are above reproach.   4. Honesty: Wise people excel in saying what they mean and meaning what they say.   They are honest and trustworthy.   They know when to say something publicly, when to say something in private, and when to hold their tongues.   So can we.   In today’s interconnected cyber community, we can’t take back anything that we say, so we are best served by measuring our words and being honest and truthful in everything we say. 5. Governance: Wise people excel in bringing order to chaos, finding solutions to problems, and regulating themselves first and foremost.   We can do likewise, practicing moderation and mediating the extreme views that surround us.   We can see both sides of any issue, un...