Some Thoughts on Leadership: Openness and Knowing (Yourself?)

On the wall in my office at the business school, there is a quote from Aristotle. (I didn’t put it there.) It says something like, ‘To know yourself is the beginning of wisdom.’ If memory serves, the phrase originates from the oracle at Delphi. (Who ever said paganism was dead?)

I suggest that wisdom begins before that. As another ancient text put it, ‘The fear of I Am(normally translated as ‘The Lord’/‘LORD’) is the beginning of wisdom.’ One way to approach this could be to embrace an awareness of what it means to be; to be alive, to live, to exist.

Recently I have been learning a lot. Absorbing, listening, asking questions. There have been times when my head has started to hurt, and my colleagues have had to calm me down. I apologise for this.

Part of this learning has been about myself. I have been undertaking some therapy (counselling), and this has highlighted areas both of development and of celebration for me.

I have also been learning about others: Understanding their preferences, insights, desires, perspectives, how my words and actions can influence or affect them (positively and negatively). It’s challenging stuff.

There has been more practical learning as well. This is one of the beautiful things about being a coach: I learn so much from so many people all the time.

But all these things piece together and make sense, because of things that are much deeper than themselves. Yesterday, I needed a moment of quiet, and went to the chaplaincy on the university campus. I prayed in the chapel, and then one of the chaplains walked in (before I could go through to their offices to find one: perhaps God knew).

What followed was a deep conversation with this chaplain, in which I did most of the talking. Some of the key themes that emerged though were:

1. The importance of knowing who you are: That you are loved, valuable, worthwhile. That you are an individual person before you are an economic actor.

2. The importance of knowing what you want to do: This grows out of the confidence of recognising that you are an individual person, regardless of your context.

3. The importance of knowing what you are meant to do: Your calling, if you will.

On my way out of the chaplaincy that day I picked up a badge. A picture of it is below. It’s a paraphrase from the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, and has been a key phrase for me that I have tried (not always very successfully) to live by.

For me, human leadership and openness to other perspectives are key. To walk in another person’s shoes is to recognise that there are other cobblers out there, as well as different directions of travel. Just because we look the same, sound the same or have a similar background does not mean that you know who I am: similarly, those who might seem the most different from us may have the most in common.

How does this all relate? Before I begin to understand myself, I must be aware of my own context. Where have I come from? Why am I me? Then I can start to understand who I am (apart from what I do), and from there build up to the more externally-affective question, ‘What am I here for?’

So, I take issue with the quote attributed to Aristotle. It is indeed useful to know yourself - your strengths, areas of which to be aware, your values, etc. - but it is more important, at least initially, to know.

To know what? Well, that’s for each of us to find out.

Peace,

Jeff

PS I have written a couple of other blogs on similar themes. If my thinking has developed or changed since then, then that is a positive sign of growth. Feel free to read them too, but as ever, don’t take my word for it. Explore for yourself. :) Love.