Daodejing Chapter 3: like the conductor of an orchestra

Not honouring the worthy,
Keeps the people from contending.
Not prizing rare goods,
Keeps the people from stealing.
Not displaying objects of desire,
Keeps the people’s hearts-and-minds,
From descending into chaos.
The sage rules by:
Emptying the heart-and-mind,
Filling the stomach,
Softening the ambitions,
Strengthening the sinews.
The sage frees the people,
From fake knowledge and desire.
Ensures that those with fake knowledge,
Never dare to act on it.
Practice effortless action,
And order prevails.

「不尚賢，使民不爭；不貴難得之貨，使民不為盜；不見可欲，使民心不亂；是以聖人之治，虛其心、實其腹、弱其志、強其骨。常使民無知無欲，使夫智者不敢為也。為無為，則無不治。」

For all the spiritual and mystical interpretations that have been attached to the Daodejing, the text is also a leadership and governance manual that was written for the ruling elite of the time. Its aim was to promote the development of a peaceful and stable society in which the people and their leader lived in harmony with each other and the surrounding environment.

To achieve this goal, the wise leader acts like a conductor of an orchestra rather than a diva. He remains in the background, quietly managing affairs through “effortless action” to ensure that the people are kept well-fed and contented. He prevents unnecessary conflicts and rivalries by refusing to single out individuals for praise, and he stops people falling prey to materialistic temptations by reining in ostentatious consumption.

By promoting the collective good rather than his own personal glory, the wise leader sets the right example for the people to follow.