Ancient Greek wisdom for today’s leadership crisis October 15, 2017 8.35pm EDT. What are the videos that you’d recommend the Daily Stoic readers to begin with? These ancient stories contain Hellenic values, such as Virtue (Aretē), Excellence (Aristeia), Integrity (Ethos) and Flourishing (Eudaimonia). We began hosting informal, non-academic philosophical salons, during our bohemian student years in London and Paris. She or he faces it head on, and right away, so that the problem does not grow (as it inevitably will if untreated). It includes such things as making well thought out, balanced decisions and mastering your thoughts and emotions to command your psycho – physiological ‘state’. She or he knows the right thing to do and is driven by a concern for ethics and fairness. There is a great deal of variety in the types of leadership philosophies that people can employ. In his book, he presents the concepts of Ethos (credibility), Pathos (emotion, imagination) and Logos (logic, reason), as the three traits an orator must have in order to influence and persuade his audience. Be upfront and direct about all things. Here, he fought the Nazis at age 14 and was widely known for it, they called him ‘The Captain’. Peter F. Drucker 1909-2005, American management guru. Why did you start it and how has it evolved to today? He agreed and together with a team of volunteers, we created a historical event; never before, in over two millennia, had the Stoics (worldwide) come together at the Stoa Poikile! So where do you begin? Through tasks and projects, teach and emphasize self-esteem, responsibility and the rewards of hard work. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” If you stand for nothing … We welcome publicity (preferred indifferent) but only when the reporter is willing to do investigation with Ethos. He has been unemployed and underemployed, once working as a furniture salesman who didn't sell a single piece of furniture. “The Pursuit of Happiness” with Will Smith. It is by a wonderful coincidence that (ASCSA) is at the heart of the excavation of Stoa Poikile, the ‘Painted Porch’ where Zeno taught his version of Socratic and Cynic teachings, later named ‘Stoicism’. We must accept that we will never please everyone. Moore There can be very little, except the evergreen pride of modernity, that gives us hope that our beliefs and practices are exempt from some future condemnation in a world so distant our comprehension of it could hardly be distinguished from loathing. Socrates 469 BC–399 BC, was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Tell us about how you first encountered Stoicism. Recently I have been repeating the titles of Ryan Holiday’s trilogy: “The Obstacle Is the Way, Stillness Is The Key, and Ego Is The Enemy”. It means promoting excellence, in yourself, and those you serve, every moment of every day. (Especially Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and the Stoic school.). In our interview below, Dr. Agio talks about the Modern Stoicism Movement, what some of the recent articles criticizing the resurgence of Stoicism gets wrong, the specific skills and concepts she helps people implement, and much more. Self-Leadership means having, a developed sense of who you are, where you’re going, and what you want, as well as…the ability to formulate a strategy and influence and inspire yourself and others to follow it through. Related blog: Empathy in leadership: Perspective is the secret sauce “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” You are also a coach and leadership trainer with over twenty year’s experience in working with professionals to “explore philosophy in its profound, practical application to life’s challenges.” What are the specific skills, ideas and concepts that you help people implement? To keep track of the series, just click the “Follow” button at the top of this post.See other posts in the series: Shakespeare: 8 Great Ways to Self Leadership, What's Really Important in this Life (Mother Teresa), Da Vinci: 8 Secrets for Getting Things Done7 Secrets to Persistence from the Great Edison, Churchill: We Desperately Need Your Optimism, Ten Best Practices from an Egomaniac (Napolean), Today’s Leaders are Missing Lincoln’s Humility, Socrates: 7 Leadership Lessons from a Nobody. Philosophy was used to make sense out of the world using reason. In general, I think the popular view of Stoicism as a solemn, serious regiment is misleading. Be patient with people. If you don't have the courage to oppose bad behavior and if you ignore the good works of your people, you're not leading. This is not the way of ancient Greeks, as you can see here from Pericles’ Funeral Oration, which encapsulates not only Stoic values, but the values of all Greek culture: “We cultivate refinement without extravagance and knowledge without effeminacy; wealth we employ more for use than for show, and place the real disgrace of poverty not in owning to the fact but in declining the struggle against it. Sure, I do a wide variety of Stoic practices…For example, I like to wake up at the crack of dawn each day and do a meditation which combines Marcus Aurelius with something like the Serenity Prayer, that really encapsulates the Stoic approach to life. What are some of your favorite videos you’ve created? Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Plato 428 BC-347 BC, ancient Greek philosopher. “It is not events that bother men, so much as their view of them.”, His quote has been so liberating to me in so many challenging situations of my life. Even though I thought I was being a good person - in the end - I was seen as someone who could not be trusted. What is the backstory of it? Dr. Alkistis Agio is a world-renowned speaker, author and consultant with over twenty years experience in working with professionals to transform fear, frustration, anger and anxiety into confidence and self-leadership, through her proven method, “The ALKISTIS Method”—which integrates the modern … ‘In Search of…’ my hero, Epictetus Here at the ancient ‘Odeon’ of Nicoupolis in Greece, where he opened a school after being released from slavery. Western civilization and its ideologies have been influenced by Greek philosophy and its thinking since its inception back in the 4th and 5thcentury BCE. The Six Principles. So, now I am seeking patrons and sponsors to improve the quality, and offer my viewers the best experience possible; To film at breathtaking locations here in Greece, inspire Stoics to visit Greece for the annual StoiconX or to stay for a year at the Agiorgiti-Residence. Greek philosopher Aristotle had much to say about ethics, logic, politics and science. Greek philosophy is „truth‟, which is even more unknowable than the higher level ... A philosophy of leadership is an action-logic that undergirds leadership actions. I immediately contacted Donald Robertson, and implored him to organize STOICON in Athens, Greece. I paid some of my people more than I was allowed to and tried to hide that from my superiors. For the past ten years, Cory has owned a successful IT business. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empire. This master philosopher based all his findings on factual data gathered from experiencing real life events. The ancient monuments are ‘whispering’ to me, saying, “Strive for excellence, Ever to Excel, (AIEN ARISTEUEIN), but also know that you are just passing through here, as we have before you, kings, queens soldiers, craftsmen, philosophers, someday, you will be dust…” So, whenever I am faced with an obstacle or an upsetting event, I practice Epictetus: “It’s not the things that upset me, but my opinions about them.” In my mind, I aim to have a narrative that describes upsetting events without any dramatic language or value judgments, instead, I try to stick to the objective facts. For example, in The New York Times, Nellie Bowles, Why Is Silicon Valley So Obsessed With the Virtue of Suffering? Stoicism does not teach self-imposed suffering, nor ‘showing-off’; Stoics in ancient Greece didn’t sit in painful, silent meditation for weeks on end… That’s more something religious ascetics would do. I believe it’s self-leadership. Her greatest teacher being her father, who “taught me the four virtues—self-discipline, courage, justice and wisdom—through his own living example; He had been tortured on the island of ‘Macronissos’ by the colonels of the military junta, in Greece in 1967, and survived, reading Greek philosophy including Stoicism in his jail-cell.”. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.”. Writing his Republic, Plato's … allow you to understand how they can fit together to provide you with guidance in leadership Greek religion - Greek religion - Beliefs, practices, and institutions: The early Greeks personalized every aspect of their world, natural and cultural, and their experiences in it. She had a much deeper knowledge than some journalist who tries to write a ‘flashy’ story about Stoicism because it’s trending now. He shared his love of Greek philosophy with me later on, to help me prepare for the ‘battle of life’. Call it as you see it. Alexander the Great (356 BC–323 BC) Alexander the Great is famous for being one of the greatest … 7 Secrets to Persistence from the Great Edison. There are six major exercises (Askesis) which refocuses Aristotle’s insights and broadens their scope. Stoicism offers a solution, the most effective way of dealing with those problems. ... myths helped the Greeks learn to reject tyrannical authority and identify the qualities of good leadership. On leadership and management “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Socrates, a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Western philosophy who lived from 470 to 399 B.C. These philosophers believed these characteristics and skills were essential for effective leadership instead of superficial concepts such as wealth and power. Classical Greece was a melting of ideas that emancipated from all corners o… Greek philosophers went to the ‘gymnasium’ on a regular basis, even Socrates, who taught, “No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training…what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.”. Modern Stoicism has become an integral part of my life and I am deeply grateful to be able to share it with many more people. I have been journaling for as long as I can remember, this practice has helped me to process the events in my life in a way that I can accept what has occured, as an enrichment, in the spirit of “Amor Fati” i.e. Image Credit: meinspire Plato’s disciple, Aristotle was an influential Greek philosopherwho excelled in fields like mathematics, physics, astronomy and biology apart from introducing new and innovative concepts in philosophy. Cold morning showers are a bragging right. Having authored The Stoic CEO and being internationally known as an ‘Ambassador’ of Greek philosophy, we’d love your opinion on those pieces and what you make of the modern resurgence of Stoicism? I felt that I had found my ‘people’. If you want to improve your performance and that of … Check out all the bonuses or sign up below. Notoriety is a badge of honor.”. Socrates — Greek Philosopher Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” – Socrates (see … As a leader, show that you don't give up easily. What would be some good compliments to the typical Stoic reading list? Patience is sometimes mistaken for stubborness. If we're tolerant of laziness, infighting and insubordination, and indifferent to the concerns and achievements of our people - death to our position, team, department or entire organization could come knocking. Plato stated rulers should be intellectually and philosophically trained to be successful. On the outside, a CEO may appear strong, successful and confident, but on the inside he or she often feels frustrated, angry and anxious. These private meetings with a small group of friends, were meant to ‘explore philosophy in its profound, practical application to life’s challenges, referring to works on ancient Greek philosophy – mainly Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics, as well as works by other intellectuals like Kazantzakis, Gurdjieff, Frankl, Sartre etc. I found Greek philosophy on my path as a leadership trainer again, where I discovered how Socrates, Aristotle, Plato and the Stoic teachings could be applied for developing Ethos. The premise is false. People often base their leadership philosophy on their personal experiences and on the leaders who influenced them greatly. Can you tell the Daily Stoic community about the event and give us a glimpse at what the event is about? This is probably because the journalist, Gavanndra Hodge, bothered to come to Greece and experience real modern Stoics, and did her research. Greek philosophy remained a dominant force in Western thought, and so Christian theology continued to develop its structure and terminology by using this framework. StoiconX in Athens, which we are hoping will be a yearly event is truly unique in the sense that you are actually at the historical location of where Stoicism started. It’s a given that modern Stoics are people who are ‘working on themselves’, who are trying to live a life of Virtue, with or without religion. Socrates: dare to disagree. That doesn't mean doing an excellent job at one thing. I have taught my method so far mostly in Dubai, AbuDhabi, Greece and Germany, but I welcome an opportunity to travel to anywhere in the world, and I invite people to Greece on short retreats or long stays at the Agiorgiti-Residence, a home for lovers of Greek philosophy. He taught me the four virtues—self-discipline, courage, justice and wisdom—through his own living example; He had been tortured on the island of ‘Macronissos’ by the colonels of the military junta, in Greece in 1967, and survived, reading Greek philosophy including Stoicism in his jail-cell. Self-Leadership is probably the most important skill you can ever develop as a person and as a professional.