How to Become a Better Business Leader by Following Lao-tzu's Te
Using the Lao-tzu's Te: a contemporary interpretation for becoming today's better business leader can help you improve as a business leader-manager by showing you how to get things done without "working" and how to handle situations without being "in control".
We can become better manager-leaders, no matter how good we are, there is always room for improvement and Lao-tzu shows us how.
This interpretation captures the magic, mystery and poetry of Lao-tzu's original masterpiece. It was painstakingly researched and cross-referenced.
The origin of Lao-tzu may be lost in the mists of time, but the truth of his words echo loud and clear, 2,500 years after they were written. The original Tao Te Ching could have only been written by an old man, and thus his name, Lao-tzu, which means "Old Man". If we are to believe the legends surrounding Lao-tzu, as an old man he turned his back on civilization and headed out on the back of an ox. When he at long last arrived at the border between China and Tibet, he was recognized by a guard and asked to put down in words all of his earthly knowledge, which he did, then crossed into Tibet never to be seen again. All that we have left is his remarkable Guide to the Virtuous Path.
A young man is reckless. He is willing to rush into a situation without knowing exactly what is going on or having a clear path of action once he is there. It would not be uncommon for him to apply solution and solution to a problem and keep getting the same unsatisfactory results. It is common for him to believe that you can throw enough time and/or money at a problem and it will simply go away.
As a business leader, he is willing to plunge into war, risk life and limb on a flimsy business venture and destroy everything that lies between him and his goal. He is head strong, short sighted, and self centered.
This is not Tao.
Lao-tzu explains this in verse twenty:
A country can be ruled with rules,
A war can be won with strategy and war-craft,
But everything can be had by doing nothing;
By being free of action and purpose.
How do I know? I know because I know.
The more rules to follow the poorer the people.
The more weapons they have the more unruly they are.
The crazier their thoughts, the weirder the stuff that happens.
The more laws that are passed, the more thugs and thieves arise.
A wise leader does nothing
And the people transform themselves.
A wise leader says nothing
And the people straighten themselves.
A wise leader controls nothing
And the people prosper by themselves.
A wise leader wants for nothing
And the people become simple themselves.*
A man in his prime tends to be obsessed with having it all, protecting it and leaving his mark on the world. He has spent thirty, forty, fifty years or more climbing the ladder of success and he is far from ready to abdicate his throne. He feels valued and wise and confident in his abilities to make money and secure his position.
This is not Tao.
Lao-tzu says in verse fifty-three:
It is easier to carry a vessel that is empty.
If you keep working it,
It will lose its point.
If you fill your house with valuable stuff,
You cannot keep it safe.
Brag about how good you are or how much stuff you have,
And you invite disaster to fall upon you.
When you have done what you had to do,
Withdraw into obscurity.
This is the way of heaven.
He has made his fair share of mistakes, and learned from them, grown stronger for having made them. He has in his management arsenal, weapons of mass destruction. People fear and respect him because he can unleash his wrath of terror and reign down on everyone.
This is not Tao.
Lao-tzu warns us in verse sixty-one not to follow this path:
In days of old,
People did not know that there were rulers.
In the next age, people loved and praised them.
In the next age, people feared them.
In the next age, people hated them.
Do not trust your leaders who do not trust in Tao.
In those days of old,
The Ancient Masters said very few words,
Which made each one important.
They did their work without taking control
And the people were amazed with what they had done.
A man in his prime has more on his mind than getting right with Tao and could not possible have written the Tao Te Ching.
Even a veteran leader with many, many years of experience has much on his mind. He has to weigh his dynasty against his legacy. He has to decide if he can retire this year or next, if his IRA can support his lifestyle, or if there is someone to replace him. He may have to make unfavorable sacrifices in order to put himself in a better position.
He has climbed to the top. He has made his own fair share of mistakes, and has learned from them to be a good manager/leader. He doesn't have to work so hard to please anybody, he is his own man.
This is not Tao.
Lao-tzu reminds us in verse seven:
Your body or your soul:
Which is more important?
Your money or your life:
Which is worth more?
A gain or a loss:
Which is more dangerous?
To keep life and lose other things
Or
To keep them,
When they only bring sorrow and pain,
And lose your life?
If you hold too tightly to your possessions,
It will only cause you grief.
If you hold too tightly to your money,
It will only cause you to be miserable.
Being content with what you have is not a sin.
Knowing when to stop is not a fault.
Staying out of trouble is not cowardly.
This is the secret to a long life and lasting success.
The Tao Te Ching could only have been written by the Old Man. Someone who no longer has to pursue material gains. Someone who has climbed to the mountain top and left everything he knew there. Someone who was willing to sacrifice self, to help other people at all times, and to follow the natural course of action.
This is Tao.
Lao-tzu says in verse twelve:
Do not think about yourself.
Think of others first.
Be kind to the good,
Be kind to the bad,
Thus kindess multiplies.
Be faithful to the faithful,
Be faithful to the faithless
Thus faithfulness multiplies.
The world should see you as detached
And humble, and often confused.
Yet, they will listen
Because of your child-like innocence.
This is the beginning of a journey of a lifetime. If you can understand this, you can understand how to get right with Tao. Lao-tzu was not the only one to say "Do not think about yourself, thing of others first," but he was the first. 500 years later a man from Judea would say: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," and "Love your neighbor as yourself." Putting the needs of others first puts us out front. Thinking of others first lets others think of us. We do this without expecting anything in return. We do this just to be kind. If we are kind to others, if we are failthful to them, then kindness and faihfulness grow and push rudness, distrust, faithlessness out of the way.
Being seen as detached allows you to make business decisions, or judgement calls, or tough decisions that are correct and beneficial for everyone. By being detached you don't have self interests in the decision, you are not putting your needs, wants or desires ahead of anyone else. You do what is right because it is the right thing to do. Attaching yourself to one vision, to one philosophy may drive a wedge between you and someone you need who holds a different view.
Being humble is all about keeping yourself to yourself. It is about being low. It is about not being in the spot light. It is about letting others have their moment. It is about giving them the tools they need to lead themselves. It is about being in the back seat and enjoying the ride. It is about riding on the back of the ox to destinations unknown. Lao-tzu says:
A nation ruled by a light hand may seem most unwise,
But the people live simple, good lives.
A nation ruled by a heavy hand may seem most wise,
But the people are cunning and discontent.
By taking the back seat, by being humble, may seem the foolish way to manage, but it has advantages over more Western Philosophies of assertion and aggression. You may even feel confused by letting things happen, naturally, without being "in control".
This is Tao.
The driver in the front seat knows the passenger is more important person. The passenger knows this too. Nobody likes a back seat driver. Let the driver drive and you won't have too. The driver feels better about himself, because he way able to do things his own way, without someone micro-managing his every move.
The fewer things you say, the more important they are. The more important your words, the more others will listen to you. The more others listen to you the more in line with the Tao they are.
This is Tao.
Lao-tzu said:
Good Leadership like good service,
It is best practiced in moderation.
Practice moderation and you will understand Tao.
Understanding Tao brings an abundance of Virtue.
This Virtue cannot be conquered.
The Virtue that cannot be conquered has no limits.
Only those with limitless Virtue are fit to lead.
Only a leader in touch with Tao will endure
By having deep roots in firm soil.
Focus on Tao
And you will see clearly
All the days of your life.
And
What is planted in Tao cannot be uprooted.
What is tied to Tao cannot be loosed.
It is to be honored from generation to generation.
When you nurture Tao within yourself, Virtue will be real.
When you nurture Tao within your house, Virtue will be abundant.
When you nurture Tao within your village, Virtue will last
When you nurture Tao within your country, Virtue will abound.
When you nurture Tao within your world, Virtue will be universal.
In this way, Tao will be known by all.
How do I know this is true? I know, because I know.
By studying Lao-tzu's Te: a contemporary interpretation for becoming today's better business leader and putting it into practice everyday, you can improve as a business leader-manager in ways you have never thought of before. A leader leads, not by talking down to people; rather he leads by being lower than them. He does not parade around out front; rather he cleans up from behind. In this way, his people are free to come and go as they please and do not feel his heavy weight or crushing blows.
These are lessons only the Old Man could have taught us. These are lessons learned from a lifetime of getting right with Tao. By following them you can allow yourself to act without striving, to lead without being "in control" and you can begin a journey that leads back to itself. You can set yourself free, find inner peace and happiness, and become a better business leader by using the everyday things in life to handle situations naturally.
* All quotes excerpted from "Tao Te Ching: The Old Man's Guide to the Virtuous Path", by Jeff Young, copyright 2010.
About the Author
Mr. Young is a nationally certified activity director working at his local nursing home. He is currently working towards improving his state's education requirements for becoming a certified activity director. He has completed his master's level advanced coursework for his ACC certification.
He is an ordained minister and holds a MetD degree in metaphysics.
He consults with other nursing homes about how to meet spiritual needs and improve their activity programing.
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