Oneness in Leadership"From old, these may have harmony with the One: Heaven in harmony with the One becomes clear. Earth in harmony with the One becomes stable. Mind in harmony with the One becomes inspired. Valleys in harmony with the One become full. All things in harmony with the One become creative. Leaders in harmony with the One become incorruptible in the world. These were attained through Oneness."

"Heaven without clarity would probably crack. Earth without stability would probably quake. Mind without inspiration would probably sleep. Valleys without fullness would probably dry up. All things without creativity would probably die off. Leaders without incorruptible ways would probably stumble and fall."

"Indeed, the high-placed stem from the humble, the elevated are based on the lowly. This is why leaders call themselves alone, lonely and unfavoured. Isn't this because they stem from the humble and common? Therefore attain honour without being honoured. Do not desire to shine like jade; wear ornaments as thou gh they were stone."

The state of oneness mentioned here is a state of harmony between the one and the many. This is a principle Taoist thought exercise - the ability to sense the interdependence and rhythmic interactions between all matter and energy in the universe, whether that matter and energy have coalesced into a solar system, a family, spawning salmon or decaying plutonium. If they are existing simultaneously, they are interdependent. It is in the connections between universal phenomena that the truth of existence can be known.

On the level of leadership, this means that a leader must create a sense of identification with those whom they lead, who in turn must sense this. Enlightened leaders realise that their position rests on those below them. They preserve their position and remain connected to those below them by practising simplicity. They don't aspire to the trappings of honour and prestige because such things only serve to block their sense of Oneness with the people.

The y are incorruptible because they are in complete identification with those whom they serve and believe the needs of the people to be their own. (39)

The best way to lead is to act from a sense of oneness with those being led. This sense of oneness is cultivated in a general sense by learning to recognise the complete interdependence and connectedness of all things in the universe.