40: Meditation

Through meditation we can start to understand the process and through understanding the process we can begin to understand the principle. This is the way things happen so we begin to understand what is happening on the project.

The Tao

Chapter 40 of the Tao is very short,

Lao Tsu tells us:

Returning is the motion of the Tao.

Yielding is the way of the Tao.

The ten thousand things are born of being.

Being is born of not being.

39: The Source of Power

The wise project manager nurtures the team, cooperates with them and is their servant. Potency comes from knowing what is happening, freedom comes from obedience to the natural order. This way the team is happy and the project is in harmony with nature.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

These things from ancient times arise from one:

The sky is whole and clear.

The earth is whole and firm.

The spirit is whole and strong.

The valley is whole and full.

The ten thousand things are whole and alive.

Kings and lords are whole and the country is upright.

All these are in virtue of wholeness.

The clarity of the sky prevents its falling.

The firmness of the earth prevents its splitting.

The strength of the spirit prevents its being used up.

The fullness of the valley prevents its running dry.

The growth of the ten thousand things prevents their dying out.

The leadership of the kings and lords prevents the downfall of the country.

Therefore the humble is the root of the noble.

The low is the foundation of the high.

Princes and lords consider themselves orphaned, widowed and worthless,

Do they not depend on being humble?

Too much success is not an advantage.

Do not tinkle like jade,

Or clatter like stone chimes.

38: Potent Leadership

The wise project manager is aware of what is happening in the team and acts accordingly. He does not try to be good, he just is.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

A truly good man is not aware of his goodness,

And is therefore good.

A foolish man tries to be good,

And is therefore not good.

A truly good man does nothing,

Yet leaves nothing undone.

A foolish man is always doing,

Yet much remains to be done.

When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing undone.

When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done.

When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds,

He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order.

Therefore when Tao is lost, there is goodness.

When goodness is lost, there is kindness.

When kindness is lost there is justice.

When justice is lost, there is ritual.

Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion.

Knowledge of the future is only a flowery trapping of Tao.

It is the beginning of folly.

Therefore the truly great man dwells on what is real and not what is on the surface.

On the fruit and not the flower.

Therefore accept the one and reject the other.

37: Doing Little

The wise project manager knows that doing little is how things work. The Tao does nothing, yet everything gets done.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

Tao abides in non-action,

Yet nothing is left undone.

If kings and lords observed this,

The ten thousand things would develop naturally.

If they still desires to act,

They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.

Without the form there is no desire.

Without desire there is no tranquillity.

And in this way all things would be at peace.

36: Perception

The wise project manager knows that if he wishes to prosper he needs to be generous. The quiet project manager will be successful for this is the way of the project manager.

The Tao

Lao Tsu tells us:

That which shrinks

Must first expand.

That which fails

Must first be strong.

That which is cast down

Must first be raised.

Before receiving

There must be giving.

This is called perception of the nature of things.

Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.

Fish cannot leave deep waters,

And a country’s weapons should not be displayed.