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  Why　is　the　ocean　the　greatest　body　of　water？　Because　it　lies　below　all　the　rivers　and　streams　and　is　open　to　them　all。
  What　we　call　leadership　consists　mainly　of　knowing　how　to　follow。　The　wise　leader　stays　in　the　background　and　facilitates　other　people's　process。　The　greatest　things　the　does　go　largely　unnoticed。　Because　the　leader　does　not　push　or　shape　or　manipulate；　there　is　no　resentment　or　resistance。
  Group　members　genuinely　appreciate　a　leader　who　facilitates　their　lives　rather　than　promoting　some　personal　agenda。　Because　the　leader　is　open；　any　issue　can　be　raised。　Because　the　leader　has　no　position　to　defend　and　shows　no　favouritism；　no　one　feels　slighted；　no　one　wishes　to　quarrel。
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  Here　is　a　paradox：　even　though　the　single　principle　of　how　everything　happens　is　great；　those　who　follow　the　principle　know　that　they　are　ordinary。
  Great　egocentricity　does　not　make　a　person　great。　The　common　ground　of　all　creation　is　a　greater　source　of　life　than　any　exalted　isolation。
  These　three　qualities　are　invaluable　to　the　leader：
  …　Compassion　for　all　creatures
  …　Material　simplicity　or　frugality
  …　A　sense　of　equality　or　modesty
  A　compassionate　person　acts　in　behalf　off　everyone's　right　to　life。　Material　simplicity　gives　on　an　abundance　to　share。　A　sense　of　equality　is；　paradoxically；　one's　true　greatness。
  It　is　a　mistake　to　consider　a　person　whose　only　interest　is　self…interest　as　being　either　caring　or　courageous。　It　is　a　mistake　to　rationalize　that　excessive　consumption　contributes　to　the　well…being　of　others　by　giving　them　employment。　It　is　a　mistake　to　imagine　that　a　person　who　acts　immodestly　or　in　a　superior　way　is　in　fact；　a　genuinely　superior　person。
  These　are　all　egocentric　behaviours。　They　isolate　a　person　from　the　common　ground　of　existence。　They　produce　rigidity　and　death。
  Compassion；　sharing；　and　equality；　on　the　one　hand；　sustain　life。　This　is　because　we　are　all　one。　When　I　care　for　you；　I　enhance　the　harmonious　energy　of　the　whole。　And　that　is　life。
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  The　greatest　martial　arts　are　the　gentlest。　They　allow　an　attacker　the　opportunity　to　fall　down。
  The　greatest　generals　do　not　rush　into　every　battle。　They　offer　the　enemy　many　opportunities　to　make　self…defeating　errors。
  The　greatest　administrators　do　not　achieve　production　through　constraints　and　limitations。　They　provide　opportunities。
  Good　leadership　consists　of　motivating　people　to　their　highest　levels　by　offering　them　opportunities；　not　obligations。
  That　is　how　things　happen　naturally。　Life　is　an　opportunity　and　not　an　obligation。
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  If　a　group　member　wants　to　fight　with　you；　consider　the　strategy　of　the　guerrilla　commander：　Never　seek　a　fight。　If　it　comes　to　you；　yield；　step　back。　It　is　far　better　to　step　back　than　to　overstep　yourself。
  Your　strength　is　good　intelligence：　be　aware　of　what　is　happening。　Your　weapon　is　not　a　weapon　at　all。　It　is　the　light　of　consciousness。
  Advance　only　where　you　encounter　no　resistance。　If　you　make　a　point；　do　not　cling　to　it。　If　you　win；　be　gracious。
  The　person　who　initiates　the　attack　is　off　center　and　easily　thrown。　Even　so；　have　respect　for　any　attacker。　Never　surrender　your　compassion　or　use　your　skill　to　harm　another　needlessly。
  In　any　event；　the　more　conscious　force　will　win。
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  This　way　of　living　and　leading　groups　is　easy　to　understand。　It　is　easy　to　do。
  But　not　many　leaders　understand　this　approach。　Very　few　use　it　in　their　work。
  Frankly；　it　is　too　simple　and　ancient　to　attract　much　attention。　As　a　rule；　the　greatest　interest　goes　to　the　greatest　novelty。
  The　wise　leader；　sticking　to　the　single　principle　of　how　everything　happens；　does　nothing　new　or　original。
  The　wise　leader　appeals　to　a　very　few　followers；　to　those　who　recognize　that　traditional　wisdom　is　a　treasure　which　often　lies　hidden　beneath　an　ordinary　appearance。
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  Nobody　has　all　the　answers。　Knowing　that　you　do　not　know　everything　is　far　wiser　than　thinking　that　you　know　a　lot　when　you　really　don't。
  Phony　expertise　is　neurotic。　Fortunately；　once　the　symptoms　are　recognized；　the　sure　is　easy：　stop　it。
  Probably　every　leader　has　tried　this　form　of　pretense　at　one　time　or　another。
  The　wise　leader　has　learned　how　painful　it　is　to　fake　knowledge。　Being　wise　and　not　wanting　the　pain；　the　leader　does　no　indulge　in　pretending。
  Anyway；　it　is　a　relief　to　be　able　to　say：　〃I　don't　know。〃
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  Group　work　must　include　spiritual　awareness　if　it　is　to　touch　the　existential　anxiety　of　our　times。　Without　awe；　the　awful　remains　unspoken；　a　diffuse　malaise　remains。
  Be　willing　to　speak　of　traditional　religion；　no　matter　how　offended　some　group　members　may　be。　Overcome　the　bias　against　the　word　of　God。　The　great　force　of　our　spiritual　roots　lies　in　tradition；　like　it　or　not。
  The　wise　leader　models　spiritual　behaviour　and　lives　in　harmony　with　spiritual　values。　There　is　a　way　of　knowing；　higher　than　reason；　there　is　a　self；　greater　than　egocentricity。
  The　leader　demonstrates　the　power　of　selflessness　and　the　unity　of　all　creation。
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  Imagine　that　there　are　two　kinds　of　courage。　One　is　an　active　courage　that　gets　people　killed。　The　other　is　an　inner　courage　that　keeps　people　alive。　Which　of　these　two　is　better？
  No　one　can　answer　that　for　you。　Each　has　its　benefits　and　its　drawbacks。　Tao　has　no　preferences。
  Keeping　in　mind　that　Tao　means　how：　how　things　happen。　But　how…things…happen　is　not　the　same　as　what…should…I…do。　No　one　can　tell　you　what　to　do。　That　is　your　freedom。　That　is　your　responsibility。
  Instead　of　asking　for　advice；　learn　to　become　more　conscious　of　what　is　actually　happening。　Then　you　will　be　able　to　see　for　yourself　how　things　happen。　You　can　make　your　own　decisions　about　what　to　do。
  Tao　does　not　preach　sermons　or　dictate　behaviour。　What　people　do　is　their　own　responsibility。　But　the　pattern　of　their　behaviour　follows　natural　law。
  This　law　is　so　general；　it　covers　every　possible　event。　It　is　so　specific；　it　applies　to　every　instance　of　every　event。
  But　no　one　can　decide　for　you　what　to　do　in　a　given　situation。　That　is　up　to　you。
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  It　is　not　the　leader's　role　to　play　judge　and　jury；　to　punish　people　for　'bad'　behaviour。　In　the　first　place；　punishment　does　not　effectively　control　behaviour。
  But　even　if　punishment　did　work；　what　leader　would　dare　to　use　fear　as　a　teaching　method？
  The　wise　leader　knows　that　there　are　natural　consequences　for　every　act。　The　task　is　to　shed　light　on　these　natural　consequences；　not　to　attack　the　behaviour　itself。
  If　the　leader　tries　to　take　the　place　of　nature　and　act　as　judge　and　jury；　the　best　you　can　expect　is　a　crude　imitation　of　a　very　subtle　process。
  At　the　very　least；　the　leader　will　discover　that　the　instrument　of　justice　cuts　both　ways。　Punishing　others　in　punishing　work。
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  The　group　will　not　prosper　if　the　leader　grabs　the　lion's　share　of　the　credit　for　the　good　work　that　has　been　done。
  The　group　will　rebel　and　resist　if　the　leader　relies　on　strict　controls　in　an　effort　to　make　things　come　out　a　certain　way。
  The　group　members　will　become　deadened　and　unresponsive　if　the　leader　is　critical　and　harsh。
  The　wise　leader　is　not　greedy；　selfish；　defensive；　or　demanding。　That　is　why　the　leader　can　be　trusted　to　allow　any　event　to　unfold　naturally。
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  At　birth；　a　person　is　flexible　and　flowing。　At　death　a　person　becomes　rigid　and　blocked。
  Consider　the　lives　of　plants　and　trees：　during　their　time　of　greatest　growth；　they　are　relatively　tender　and　pliant。　But　when　they　are　full　grown　or　begin　to　die；　they　become　tough　and　brittle。
  The　tree　which　has　grown　up　and　become　rigid　is　cut　into　lumber。
  The　rigid　group　leader　may　be　able　to　lead　repetitious　and　structured　exercises　but　can't　cope　with　the　lively　group　process。
  Whatever　is　flexible　and　flowing　will　tend　to　grow。　Whatever　is　rigid　and　blocked　will　atrophy　and　die。
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  Natural　events　are　cyclical；　always　changing　from　one　extreme　toward　an　opposite。
  Imagine　a　bow　and　arrow。　As　the　archer　draws　the　bow；　the　two　tips　of　the　bow；　which　were　far　apart；　come　close　together；　the　narrow　space　between　string　and　wood　becomes　wide；　the　bow　string；　which　was　at　rest；　becomes　taut。
  When　the　archer　releases　the　arrow；　once　again　the　process　reverses　itself；　as　the　tension　relaxes。
  That　is　the　way　of　inner　nature：　to　relax　what　is　tense；　to　fill　what　is　empty；　to　reduce　what　is　overflowing。
  But　a　society　based　on　materialism　and　the　conquest　of　nature　works　to　overcome　these　cycles。　If　some　is　good；　more　must　be　better；　and　an　absolute　glut　seems　best。　At　the　same　time；　those　who　have　little　get　even　less。
  The　wise　leader　follows　the　natural　order　of　events　and　does　not　take　the　consumer　society　for　a　model。
  By　serving　others　and　being　generous；　the　leader　knows　abundance。　By　being　selfless；　the　leader　helps　others　realize　themselves。　By　being　a　disinterested　facilitation；　unconcerned　with　praise　or　pay；　the　leader　becomes　potent　and　successful。
  The　leader's　behaviour　works　because