7 師 The Army
Judgement
You have to organize a group for a hard task: a team, a family, a campaign. Enthusiasm is not enough here. It takes firmness, uprightness and an experienced person at the front, someone with nothing to prove. With that, you are unlikely to make mistakes. Look at who really leads and with what authority. Gathering many people behind a goal is a serious act, and it deserves to be treated as one.
Image
Water collects inside the earth: under the calm surface lies an enormous reserve. A well-led group is like that, keeping its strength until it is needed. The image suggests caring for people before asking anything of them: feed them and train them, and only then gather them. Someone who demands effort without first caring for their people spends their authority. Think about what you have done for your people before asking more of them.
Lines
Line 1
A group sets out, and what counts is the rules it leaves with. If the order is good, the road starts well; if not, it heads toward a poor result. Before you begin, ask yourself what the goal is, who decides and what the limits are.
Line 2
You are in the middle of the group, not above it. You share the effort with the others, and that inspires trust. You are unlikely to be at fault, and whoever leads recognizes this work with their favor, again and again. Leading from within carries more authority than giving orders from afar. If you are recognized, accept it simply.
Line 3
The group has too many bosses and nobody decides. Each one thinks they know what to do, and nobody takes responsibility. That is a bad sign. Check whether several voices give orders at once in what you are doing, and if so, let one decide.
Line 4
The group falls back, and that need not be a mistake. There are moments when advancing would be foolish, and knowing how to withdraw in time is a kind of intelligence. Do not take it as a defeat. Regrouping and waiting makes sense when circumstances do not help. Retreating in good order is better than losing everything by insisting.
Line 5
There are birds in the field, a harm that can be stopped without fault. But look at who is in command: if it is not the right person, even if you are firm and in the right, the result is poor. A good cause in the wrong hands is spoiled.
Line 6
At the end, the one in command hands out the assignments: some receive lands to govern, others the leadership of a clan. But someone who looks only for their own gain should not be given positions of responsibility. When you reward good work, do not confuse the reward with authority.
Reflection
- Who really leads what you are doing, and with what authority?
- Have you looked after the people with you before asking more effort of them?
- Which decision are you leaving to several people when it needs just one?