There may be merit in all these systems, but we in the business world have often been disappointed by their failure to live up to their promises. Why do they fail? I believe it is because managers put too much faith in systems and not enough faith in people. Without the commitment and engagement of people, not just at the top but throughout an organization, no system can succeed. The power of any idea is expressed only through people.

I have quoted the Tao Te Ching for years as a senior corporate executive and as a consultant, in speeches and management seminars. Often I have been asked to interpret what a particular chapter meant in a business situation. Other times I have heard the Tao Te Ching criticized as another of those obscure Asian philosophy books being foisted off as New Age management theory.

In the most profound and fundamental sense, the Tao Te Ching is a self-help book. But it often requires adaptation into the business context. When Stephen Mitchell — whose English version of the Tao Te Ching has been called “definitive for our time” — asked if I would be interested in working with him on an interpretation of it for business people, I jumped at the chance.

The Tao Te Ching, perhaps the world’s most profound book of leadership wisdom, talks about principles that underlie all truly fulfilling enterprises. It is a way that many powerful business leaders already practice but call by other names, such as “servant leadership” or “values-based leadership” or “leaders hip from the heart.” Each of these phrases describes aspects of the wisdom in this ancient text. It supersedes all systems yet brings fulfillment, both personal and organizational.

Though the Tao Te Ching is ancient, the application of its teachings to business leadership is a relatively recent development. At a deep level, the teachings of the Tao Te Ching offer a path that is powerful in a way that conventional business thinking can’t be. These teachings point to the most elemental human truths, and they can illuminate any area of human activity. Imagine applying the war metaphors so popular in business circles to your marriage, or taking a manual on how to manage government employees and using it to raise your child. Good luck!

The Tao Te Ching is not asking you to take anything on faith. You don’t need to understand all its teachings. Just keep an open mind and test them. The more you are able to live them, the more you will appreciate their profound wisdom and effectiveness.