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The Stoic Leader

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The Stoic Leader

Ancient Lessons to Succeed in Business

Michael O'Mara Books,

15 Minuten Lesezeit
7 Take-aways
Audio & Text

Was ist drin?

Stoic philosophers’ ideas can help modern business leaders handle challenges with equanimity and wisdom.

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Editorial Rating

8

getAbstract Rating

  • Applicable
  • Visionary
  • Background

Recommendation

As emperor of Rome, Marcus Aurelius understood the pressures of leadership. He exemplified Stoic philosophy, which emphasizes developing workable strategies for confronting challenges with equanimity and integrity. Authors John Sellars and Justin Stead demonstrate that the classical Stoic philosophers – such as Seneca, Epictetus, and Hierocles – were not ivory tower thinkers. They often held powerful positions in politics and business, and their philosophy focused on practical issues, including decision-making, time management, and contending with adversity. In this lively discussion, the authors show how Stoic ideas from ancient Rome and Greece offer powerful tools for leaders in the digital age.

Summary

The ancient philosophy of Stoicism is relevant to modern business leadership.

The Greek philosopher Zeno founded the Stoic school of thought around 30 BC. His followers gathered at the Painted Stoa, a colonnade in Athens, so they were called the Stoics.

The philosophy of Stoicism thrived for about 500 years in both ancient Greece and Rome. Stoic philosophy focused less on abstract concepts and more on practical ideas for living life well. Stoic philosophers developed pragmatic ideas in a variety of areas, including living with courage, managing time, making decisions, cultivating fruitful relationships, and dealing with adversity.

Today, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is the most widely read Stoic. His book, Meditations, first written as his private notes, explores how to live virtuously and handle life’s challenges. Other notable ancient Stoics included Seneca, author of the Dialogues and an advisor to the emperor Nero, and the former slave Epictetus, who founded a school of philosophy in Greece. One of his students wrote down his lectures, which are compiled in the book Discourses.

Stoics believed that good character...

About the Authors

John Sellars is a philosophy scholar at Royal Holloway, University of London; a member of Wolfson College, Oxford; and a visiting research fellow at King’s College, London, home of the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle project. The chair of the nonprofit Modern Stoicism, he also wrote The Pocket Stoic, The Pocket Epicurean, Stoicism, and other books on ancient philosophy. Justin Stead is chair of Walkers Shortbread, a leader in other consumer-brand companies, and a board member of Digital MR, an AI marketing research company. He founded the Aurelius Foundation.

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