A leader leads by example not by force.

Although widely attributed to Sun Tzu, this modern-sounding maxim is best understood as a summary of a leadership principle often associated with classical military thought: durable authority comes from moral example, discipline, and earned trust rather than coercion alone. Read this way, the line contrasts two modes of command—one that compels compliance through fear and punishment, and another that elicits voluntary followership because the leader embodies the standards expected of others. Its significance lies in shifting “leadership” from mere power to legitimacy: example creates cohesion and initiative, while force may produce obedience but also resentment, fragility, and eventual breakdown under stress.