Benjamin Hoff’s Tao of Pooh has important lessons for leaders. If you haven’t read this classic, I highly recommend it.

The book teaches Taoist principles through the story of The House at Pooh Corner. Hoff concludes by writing,

“Inside each of us is an Owl, a Rabbit, an Eeyore and a Pooh. For too long, we have chosen the path of the Owl and the Rabbit. Now, like Eeyore, we complain about the results. But that accomplishes nothing If we’re smart, we’ll choose Pooh’s way. As if from afar, he calls out to us with the voice of a child’s mind. It can be hard to hear sometimes, but it’s important all the same, because without it we’ll never find our way. through the forest.

Leading others can feel like being lost in a forest full of traps, obstacles, and challenges. Conventional thinking teaches that to survive we must be wise (like Owl), cunning (like Rabbit), and brave (like Tigger). But these approaches often fail or, at best, promote mediocre results. When this happens, we complain, blame, and feel deeply dissatisfied, perpetuating negativity (like Eeyore). What a bore!

Fortunately, there is another way to lead, and that is to build a positive relationship with yourself and your followers. The Pooh Way embodies many of the principles of positive leadership, which are well supported by scientific data.

* The Pooh Way teaches us to be grateful, embrace change, and recognize the good in people (especially if they come with pots of honey).

* The Pooh Way teaches us to be who we are. You can’t be your best self if you’re busy trying to be an Owl or a Rabbit. Just do what you are, believe in yourself and others will follow.

* The Pooh Way teaches us to work with situations rather than against them. Listen to your intuition. Get an idea of ​​the situation. Trust your instincts: these are the things that good leaders do.

* The Pooh Way teaches us that success is defined less by fighting and winning and more by learning and growing. True growth and development involves changing within and adapting, which the stubborn ambitions (Rabbits) and false sages (Owls) are reluctant to do for fear of appearing weak.

* The Pooh Way teaches us to recognize our value and use it. Pessimists play it safe and don’t take risks because they don’t have confidence in their ability to change the situation around them. The Pooh Way teaches us to believe in ourselves and act without fear of failure.

The Pooh metaphor may seem far-fetched, but the principles and science behind the story are time-tested and empirically valid.