Tao Te Ching 66

All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.

The Master is above the people, and no one feels oppressed. She goes ahead of the people, and no one feel manipulated. Because she competes with no one, no one can compete with her.
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Humility is evident when people put themselves in a position to receive. That is a position of power, as evidenced by the massive power of the sea when compared to any river or stream that flows into it.

When a Master is humble then the people under her domain do not feel oppressed or manipulated. Oppression and manipulation are used by so-called leaders who are striving to attain greater power through arrogant or self-serving means. In the end, the inherent weakness in such leaders will be revealed and the people will look elsewhere for leadership at the first opportunity.

The last sentence quoted above is one of those paradoxical gems in the Tao Te Ching. The Master doesn’t see herself as a competitor and thus doesn’t present a competitive profile. Who can compete with something that isn’t there?