"The best leader is one whose existence is barely known. When their work is done, the people say: we did it ourselves."
— Lao Tzu
The Best Leader Is One Whose
The best leader is one whose existence is barely known. When their work is done, the people say: we did it ourselves.
About this quote
From Chapter 17 of the Tao Te Ching, which describes four grades of ruler in descending order: the best, whose existence is barely known by the people; next, one who is loved; then one who is feared; and lastly one who is despised. The ideal leader of Chapter 17 governs through wu wei — acting without imposing — so that when the work is done, the people feel they accomplished it themselves. This ideal of invisible, unobtrusive leadership stands in deliberate contrast to the more assertive governance models of Confucianism.
Source
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 17
