Leading through the development of the trust cycle according to the I-Ching

Abstract

This study explores the concept of trust in leadership, drawing on insights from the ancient Chinese classic I-Ching. Using content analysis and metaphoric interpretation, we examine the meaning of Fu (trust) in I-Ching and its relevance to modern-day business leadership. Our analysis categorizes hexagram lines that mention Fu into six stages, forming the I-Ching Trust Development Cycle: Initiation, Progressing, Testing, Growth, Maturity, and Decline. The cycle begins without trust as leaders and followers meet to share their visions and missions. As relationships between leaders and followers develop, progress is made. The third stage tests the trust relationships, while the fourth stage describes how relationships are maintained. In the fifth stage, trust reaches its peak, but in the final stage, relationships reach a crossroads that may lead to either continued Growth or Decline. We suggest management implications at the end of each stage. Finally, we discuss the limitations and suggest future research directions.

Keywords:

• Decline
• growth
• I-Ching
• initiation
• maturity
• metaphor
• progressing
• testing
• trust
• trust cycle

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Selina Y. M. Wong

Ms. Selina Y. M. Wong is a PhD student in Artificial Intelligence Thrust under the Information Hub at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). Selina holds an EMBA degree from Tsinghua University, an MBA degree from the University of British Columbia, and a BBA degree from Simon Fraser University. Her research focus is Chinese philosophies on leadership and management applications. She has been a speaker on business management for a radio broadcasting series at the Radio Television Hong Kong Broadcasting Co. (RTHK) for 12 years. Selina is a coauthor of Laozi: The Relativism of Business Management, Book #38 of the Management Reference Book Series for the EMBA Program at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Oliver H. M. Yau

Prof. Oliver H. M. Yau is now a Distinguished and Honorary Professor at The Open University of Hong Kong. He is a former chairman of the Academy of International Business Southeast Asia Region (AIBSEAR). He is a retired Chair Professor of Marketing at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) where he served as Associate Dean (Graduate Programmes) of the Faculty of Business for seven years and Head of the Department of Business and Management for two years. After his retirement, he joined the University of Nottingham and served as a Professor of Marketing at its Ningbo Campus in China from 2014 to 2015. Being an Australian Chinese, he holds a B.B.A. degree with honors and an MBA degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, an International Teacher’s Certificate from CESA (now HEC), France, and a Ph.D. degree in marketing from the Management Center, University of Bradford, England.