Analects 12:17

Ch’i K’ang Tzu asked Confucius about government.  Confucius replied, “To govern (cheng) is to rectify (cheng).  If you lead the people by being rectified yourself, who will dare not be rectified?”  [Analects 12:17]

Today, I will try to interpret the above analect.

Confucius believe that the world is in chaos and it needs someone to change it. The kind of leader that Confucius desired is described in the analect. In it, Confucius said that a good leader is the one who knows that he himself is need of change. Since every leader has his own way of governing and running the society, then each one wanted to change the form of government of the previous leader. The new leader must know that in order to change the ways of the government, he must also be willing to change his self for the betterment of the society. The kind of change the leader may act is the adjusting from a normal citizen to a responsible ruler. Also, he may change in accordance to the change he wanted. For example, he ordered that no one must throw garbage in the streets. As a leader, he must also change his ways in accordance to his order, so he must follow the rule he imposed. Since he is a leader, he must be the first one to perform the change he wanted. He must set as a good example to his people. If he is willing to change, then the people will feel and see this his sincerity. If then, the people will obey their ruler. They would also want to change their ways. In that case, they would also follow the rule given by the leader.

To be a leader doesn't mean that he will just command. A true leader is the one who commands and follows what he commands.It is then that his people will obey him for they saw his sincerity in everything he commands them. If the leader will continue to follow, then he will gain respect from his people because of the dedication he is exerting in his work.