Even a small pond can be as deep as the ocean. There is no poem I have shared more often with the leaders I have worked with, led, and mentored than Verse 17 from the Tao Te Ching

When the Master governs,
the people are hardly aware that she/he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved.
Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.

If you don’t trust the people,
you make them untrustworthy.

The Master doesn’t talk, they act.
When their work is done,
the people say, “Amazing:
we did it, all by ourselves!”

Even though Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching back in the 4th Century China, it’s still as relevant today as it was back then. Like other timeless texts it speaks to the very essence of what it means to be a human.

The trust that Lao Tzu talks about can actually be interpreted as belief. A great leader believes in their team and their intention. A great leader believes that their team can rise to the challenge, that they want to excel and grow. And it is from that place of deep, unwavering belief that a leader should show up for the team.

Which ultimately speaks to the #1 job you have as a leader: Make more leaders. I can’t make it any simpler than that. We want to work ourselves out of a job. When we're no longer needed, our mission has been accomplished, freeing us to do something else. To serve our organizations where our attention is most needed so that the people can say, “Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves!”