“the bad leader is he who the people despise; the good leader is he who the people praise; the great leader is he who the people say, "We did it ourselves”

“A leader is bestWhen people barely know he existsOf a good leader, who talks little,When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,They will say, “We did this ourselves.”

“When the Master governs, the peopleare hardly aware that 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 people,you make them untrustworthy.The Master doesn't talk, he acts.When his work is done,the people say, "Amazing:we did it, all by ourselves!”

“A good leader is someone who knows what he's bad at, and hires someone who's good at it to take care of it for him.”

“A true leader is not meant to be greeted with unanimous praise by his people. A leader is meant to be questioned, to be suspect, to be hated. If he is not, then one can easily assume that either he has not challenged his abilities as a leader by making a decision that creates a split between the people, or he is forcing his subjects to bow before him.”

“To lead people, walk beside them ...As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence.The next best, the people honor and praise.The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate ...When the best leader's work is done the people say,We did it ourselves!”