The Lines

Bottom. [9] From the very beginning of a joint effort, right and justice must prevail, and the
enterprise must be conducted in an organized fashion. The aim and purpose of the joint effort
must be meaningful and made clear to all participants if their loyalty and enthusiasm is
expected. Without this element of genuineness, the enterprise is sure to fail. The good
leader, therefore, is careful to make clear to all members of the group the purpose of the
enterprise and as much about how it will be conducted as is reasonable.

2. [6] He who fills the role of leadership must consider himself a part of the group he expects
to lead. His fortunes are tied together with theirs and theirs with his, and he accepts
responsibility for all. Only someone who can accept this great responsibility is worthy to be
a leader. Whatever honors or recognition he receives is not his alone; it is bestowed upon
him as the representative of the group, and each member should look upon such honors as
being given to him also.

3. [6] If the leader lacks a clear vision of the group’s purpose, if the members of the group
are left to their own devices and have no clear understanding of where they are going or
what they should be doing, misfortune is bound to result. If there is no proper leadership, if
every member of the group is left to rely on his own inept or inadequate vision of the goals
of the enterprise, how can it succeed? Without a unifying vision and a clear definition of
means, how can a difficult objective be achieved? Uncertainty leads to wasted effort and
time lost, and is a sure way for a concerted effort to become unraveled.

4. [6] Retreat is not a disgrace when one is up against impossible odds or an unbeatable foe.
Rather, to continue to struggle against such insurmountable difficulties suggests a stubbornness
or a failure to carefully calculate the chances for success, and this could only lead
to a great catastrophe. But a carefully planned retreat saves the enterprise, avoids catastrophe,
and opens the possibility for a renewed struggle at a later time when a more favorable
outcome may be expected. A leader who continues in the face of certain defeat just to avoid
the appearance of cowardice is not strong but is weak, because he is being guided by fear
and a misplaced sense of honor, rather than an intelligent and responsible assessment of the
situation. The important thing is the goal of the enterprise, not a mere appearance.

5. [9] The leader of a group should be a man of thorough experience and vision. If a
younger man with little experience who lacks a clear understanding of the problems that lie
ahead is put in charge, all of the effort, which should be carefully directed, will lead to misfortune.
Without a unifying vision and a central command, the element of danger which is
inherent in any mass of people can easily surface, allowing the enterprise to get out of hand
and people to indulge in destructive behavior. If uncontrolled, the struggle becomes a mob
action and the purpose of the struggle degenerates into whatever each member thinks it
may be. This is a prescription for chaos and disintegration.

Top. [6] When the end has been achieved, when the struggle is finally over, all those who
aided the effort should be rewarded generously. But it is important that even faithful helpers
not be given rewards and responsibilities of which they are not worthy. Let inferior
helpers be rewarded with material gifts, but not with positions in which they may do harm
and undermine the whole purpose of the struggle.

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