According to Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching,

“The best leaders are those the people hardly know exist.
The next best is a leader who is loved and praised.
Next comes the one who is feared.
The worst one is the leader that is despised.

If you don’t trust the people,
they will become untrustworthy.

The best leaders value their words, and use them sparingly.
When they’ve accomplished their task
the people say, “Amazing:
we did it, all by ourselves!”
(17)