On leadership and "Inspiration"

[daojones]

I've been sent this talk by Simon Sinek by a number of people:

https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en

It basically sounds like bullshit to me. He's just serving platitudes. At the same time, I know an area that I need to work on (for various reasons) is inspiring and leading people.  

I think there's lots of books and info out there that give tactics and strategies for being charming, inspirational etc...but I think these are all lies. I feel the truth has to do with your energy. All the tactics and strategies don't matter if you dont have the right energy. 

Curious what other Bums think about this topic. Not interested in negative comments.
 

[Aaron]

Read the Tao Te Ching. That's the best book I know about leadership. 

[daojones]

@aaron any recommended versions or secondary texts. I feel like I only really understand deep texts like that once I have lived the lesson first.

[Marblehead]

The Sage teaches without words.

[Aaron]

John C H Wu is my personal favorite. Read his translation and let me know what you think.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Aaron

[Bearded Dragon]

Not interested in negative comments.

 

 

This is a Daoist forum.

 

You could say that the difference between the two approaches is that one leads from the front and the other leads from behind. It seems most effective to approach from both sides. Your energy is turned on anyway so you might as well tweak the mental structure.

[Karl]

Know thyself and be thyself.

 

For me it's the virtues - existence, independence, production, justice, integrity, pride and honesty.

 

Go your own way, follow those virtues, don't live by the permission of other men. It doesn't matter if you do not succeed in achieving greatness, just do your best by those virtues and be happy in yourself. A self contained, unrestrained, incorruptible beacon of self in which you can feel proud of that accomplishment in and of itself. Be the best that you can be, excel using those principles. No need to be charming, but it is certainly worth being polite, enthusiastic, measured and kind whilst adhering to those principles.

 

I think you can only truly inspire if that inspiration is principled. If it is a integral part of who you are. One thing that struck me about inspirational people was that they stuck to their principles and refused to compromise no matter what. Sometimes this meant they were very unpopular-often violently unpopular-but by refusing to compromise they eventually won through. It does not mean that this is always true, but it's invariably the attributes of the winners. The losers always compromise their principles out of fear.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Karl

[Chang]

 

The losers always compromise their principles out of fear.

 

Another noteworthy quote.

[RigdzinTrinley]

I once translated dharma teachings for two BMW managers in retirement, one them was the senior vice president of the whole BMW group

 

He is also a prof. for leadersip managment etc on one of the German universities (Munich I think)

 

Very wonderful old man,deeply spiritu as well

 

He gave 3talks for the head abbot, rinpoche and senior monks on leadership - basically priceless stuff also for me

 

One thing that I remember: to be a leader ibstead of just a manager one needs to take the responsibility for every worker, if something goes wrong its not the fault of the worker but the leader - and if the project works out its not because of the leader but his co workers

 

That inspires people to work with you and under your guidance (trust)

 

He also said you need strong ethics and moral integrity, unshakeable - then even if the going gets rough (loosing millions of euros, firing many good people because of that etc.)

 

So even if there are bad times, if you have a strong charakter - based on ethics and virtuous mind, you won't loose your head and people won't let you down

 

I miss the man, talking with him was great

[daojones]

I think the stick to your guns bit is true, but it's also obvious.

I'm trying to understand on a deeper level than that.

[RigdzinTrinley]

If you mean subtle energy that guides and inspires...

 

Like "being an inspirational and guiding presence" type thing...

 

I mean I guess that's what you mean?

 

If you mean that - then I would simply say "let your actions speak"

 

And investigate why you want to be an inspirational presence? Why do people want to guide abd inspire? Why do I want to guide and inspire others?

 

+

 

Most human beings don't perceive subtle energy - they do perceive our actions and how we interact with them

 

Who we are for them... They don't need more leaders brother they need brothers and sisters that walk together with them (my humble opinion)

 

Based on the harmony of our mind/heart, word and action they will judge us to be trustworthy or not

 

If I see you as someone I can trust and rely on, I'll go to you for some guidance - I wouldn't really care aboit some subtle juju that you might or might not emit

 

Just my ramblings, no need to take them too seriously

[Karl]

I think the stick to your guns bit is true, but it's also obvious.

I'm trying to understand on a deeper level than that.

 

A deeper level metaphysically or epistemologically ?

[liminal_luke]

You haven´t said -- so maybe you have this part all figured out -- but I´d first ask where it is you´d like to lead, what you´d like to inspire.  I think the answers to those questions might  provide the oomph necessary to get the job done.

Edited February 27, 2016 by liminal_luke