By James Byrd, MBA | Strategic Advisor & Author of The Future: 2027

I. The Oracle for Business

Hexagram 17 – Sui (Following) reveals the pattern of strategic alignment. Its structure is composed of Thunder (Zhen) below and Marsh or Lake (Dui) above — representing movement beneath receptivity, or action stirred within open systems. This is the natural image of growth: roots beneath soil, energy beneath opportunity, innovation beneath culture.

Judgment (in Business Terms):

Following brings supreme success. Perseverance furthers. No disruptions at the moment. A good sign — the sign of necessary sacrifice for strategic positioning.

In business cycles, especially during the spring phase of ideation and planting, success often depends on how well a team or leader follows not trends, but natural timing, processes, and principles.

II. Marsh and Thunder: A Model for Strategic Operations

Imagine your company or team as the marshland — fertile but uncertain terrain. Beneath it, thunder shakes the ground — innovation, urgency, and the pulse of markets. Together, this symbolizes the season of growing — a moment when conditions are ripe, but guidance and follow-through are essential.

Key implications:

• Thunder (Zhen) symbolizes the shake-up, the trial, the shift in habits or operations.
• Marsh (Dui) symbolizes adaptable systems, open channels, and a culture that allows growth to take root.

Effective managers must follow the pulse of internal and external movement, not resist it. This means listening to what the market says, what your team feels, and what your systems can actually support.

III. Following as a Growth Strategy

In the context of business growth:

• Spring is your ideation and investment phase.
• Growing is the execution — what you nourish and repeat.
• Harvesting is where results, revenue, and insight are collected.
• Trial is the moment of stress-testing — whether systems or people hold under pressure.

Following, then, is not passive. It is process-driven obedience to reality — the market, the model, the message.

To provide for a system or team means to engage with its natural development rhythm. Like a farmer who follows the season rather than commanding the sky, leaders succeed not by force but by disciplined alignment.

IV. Case in Point: Leadership in the Growing Season

A CEO launching a product must:

1. Shake the system (Zhen): Initiate change, challenge assumptions, stir energy.
2. Listen to the Marsh (Dui): Receive feedback, empower the team, keep communication open.
3. Follow the signs: Monitor analytics, customer behavior, and team energy as indicators of readiness.
4. Harvest at the right moment: Avoid rushing growth before roots are deep.

V. The Sacrifice of Command-and-Control

Modern leadership often resists “following.” But real strategic alignment may require sacrificing short-term ego for long-term cohesion.

Think of a manager willing to listen first, move second — this act of “strategic submission” fosters a team that is resilient, not just compliant. As the I Ching teaches, “Perseverance furthers,” but only when you are in tune with what follows naturally.

Conclusion: Follow to Lead

Hexagram 17 reminds us: Growth is not forced; it is followed. Whether you’re planting a campaign, growing a team, or preparing for harvest, success is built on understanding cycles, providing support, and following through.

If you wish to shake the market, begin by listening to the marsh beneath your feet.

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