The Servant Leader | Tao Te Ching Chapter 66 Explained

Rivers and seas are rulers of the streams of hundreds of valleys, because of the power of their low position. If you want to be a ruler of people, you must speak to them like you are their servant. If you want to lead other people, you must put their interest ahead of your own. The people will not feel burdened if a wise person is in a position of power. The people will not feel like they are being manipulated if a wise person is in front as their leader. The whole world will ask for her guidance and will never get tired of her. Because she does not like to compete, no one can compete with the things she accomplishes. We sometimes hear about the concept of servant leadership, the idea that leaders aim to serve those who they preside over. Some have called this idea revolutionary, because it turns the classical hierarchies of leadership upside down. However, this idea is not all that revolutionary at all, because Lao Tzu was talking about this idea more than 2,000 years ago. This idea may not have originated with Lao Tzu, but it has been passed down all throughout the ages. Jesus said, Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. In feudal times, the idea of a king was often conflated with that of a father protector. Under feudalism, the king's purpose was to watch over his subjects, and to protect them from outside threats. And they, in turn, would offer their labor for the maintenance of the kingdom, and would rally to his aid when needed. This was the theory behind the system anyway. Sadly, we know that throughout history, many leaders have failed to fill this role, choosing instead to abuse the power that fortune has laid upon them for their own personal gain. The solution to this problem is not to do away with leaders altogether, and Lao Tzu never proposed this. Instead, he urges all leaders to play the part that is given them with humility and kindness. This is another one of those paradoxes you see in the application of Taoism to life. The more you put others before yourself, the more respect you will garner as a leader, and the more secure your position will be. On the other hand, the more you strive to make your position over others secure, the more people will begin to resent you, and the shakier your hold on power becomes. A wise ruler makes it his or her business to give the people as much autonomy as possible. Therefore, the people do not feel micromanaged, and they don't chafe under the heavy hand of an authoritarian system. They become self-reliant, rather than needing to be instructed and provided for at every turn. They feel empowered to provide for themselves. The wise ruler ultimately is secure in their position, and the people feel this. Therefore, there is no need to compete or perform in order to try and win the loyalty of those being ruled. They offer it gladly, because they know that they can trust the ruler to look out for their best interests and to respect their rights. If you're enjoying these videos, come hop into the discord, where you can access discussions on each of these chapters, and put in your own two bits if you want to. And with that, thank you for watching, and I will see you all tomorrow for chapter 67. Peace and blessings.