โWith all the modern management theories and productivity hacks floating around the blogosphere, I thought that I would take a minute to slow things down and hark back to some wisdom that has lasted the test of time. Here is some food for thought for todayโs leaders from the finest minds of ancient Greece:
โWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.โ Aristotle.Actually, great leaders are great because they do the same things, over and over again. Like Steve Jobโs black polo neck jumper, if it works for you, why change it? Reinventing the wheel is rarely necessary when you are confident in your direction.
โCount each day as a separate life.โ Seneca.Each dawn brings new possibilities. If leaders didnโt think in this way, then their businesses would be riddled with recriminations and witch hunts. If is important to learn from the past, but there is nothing more important than the โhere and now.โ Set your goals for the day, the week and the month and measure your success accordingly.
โKnow how to listen and you will profit even from those who talk badly.โ Plutarch.Great listening doesnโt depend on the richness of the message or the experience of the person delivering it. Even the most inexperienced intern can provide insights of such brilliant simplicity that others may miss. Careful listening (to everyone) is the hallmark of a great leader.
โNo man ever steps in the same river twice, for itโs not the same river, and heโs not the same man.โ Heraclitus.Today will never be the same as tomorrow, ideas are never fixed in stone, and you will never stop developing. As a leader of a business in a fast paced world, if you stand still, you go backwards.
โBeware the barrenness of a busy life.โ Socrates.As technology allows us to pack our days with increasingly more activity, it is easy to lose sight of what is truly worthwhile. Ensure your business has a laser focus on its deliverables and ensures that the cult of โbusynessโ does not drag your team into the mire.
โCourage is knowing what not to fear.โ Plato.For any leader, the peril of making any decision lies in the uncertainty of the result. It is all too easy to build up the terrible consequences in your head, but most of the time things will turn out fine. Rational problem-solving beats irrational fire fighting every time.
โMake the best use of whatโs in your power and take the rest as it happens.โ Epictetus.This is the ultimate in practical advice. The business leaders who picture themselves as superheroes are often left disillusioned and burnt out. You canโt do it all, and your team canโt either, no matter how many MBAs they have between them. There are limits to human endeavour โ it is fine to push these limits, but you have to acknowledge that they are there nonetheless. Do your best with what you have and it will often be good enough.