BOOK III (The Spiritual Room) -

Quickly Crossing the Higher Self

1990 to 1999

The Journey Inside - Step 14 Continued

- Not Who but How Am I?

"When a good leader leads the people respect and praise him;
The next best leader is one whom the people fear;
The worst leader is one whom they despise…
But when the very best leader leads,
The people say 'we did it ourselves1".
Lao-Tzu: Tao Te Ching

…Leading by pure example is easily confused with leading by example through Proficiency. However, a story clearly illustrates the difference. Gandhi was approached by a mother of a young boy who begged him to stop her son eating sugar.

Gandhi hesitated then said, "Bring your son back in two weeks".

The woman was confused but thanked him. Two weeks later she brought her son back.

Gandhi looked the youngster in the eye and said, "Stop eating sugar."

Grateful but surprised, the woman asked, "Why did you tell me to bring him back in two weeks? You could have told him the same thing then".

Gandhi replied, "Two weeks ago I was eating sugar".

It is an example of "meaning making" - perhaps the ultimate form of leadership?