Mencius stresses self-exemplification. If one fails to live by the moral Way, even his spouse and children won’t follow it; commanding others against the Way makes one’s orders unheeded at home, proving self-cultivation is the root of leadership.
Master Zeng said, “Every day I examine myself on these three points: in acting on behalf of others, have I always been loyal to their interests? In intercourse with my friends, have I always been true to my word? Have I failed to repeat the precepts that have been handed down to me?”