How Philosophy Makes You a Better Leader
The
goal of most executive coaching and leadership development is behavior
change—help the individual identify and change the behaviors that are getting in
the way of, and reinforce the behaviors associated with, effective leadership.
But what about the beliefs and values that drivebehavior?
The
benefits of introspection and reflection on one’s own character and beliefs
receive less attention in a typical coaching session than the benefits of
behavior change. Perhaps this is not surprising in our fast-paced and
technology-driven business world, where there is little time to stop and think,
and where people want (and are paying for) immediate outcomes. Despite growing
recognition of the benefits of “mindfulness”
activities (such as yoga and meditation) and an introverted style, self-reflection on philosophical
issues—such as values, character virtues, and wisdom—is relatively neglected.
Executive coaching and leadership development programs rarely include much, if
anything, about the power of clarifying one’s philosophical world-view. But there
is mounting evidence that they should.
Neuroscience
research on self-reflection supports this notion. A recent study reported in BMC Neuroscience revealed that a critical brain region—the
anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) —was activated during self-reflection tasks. The
ACC is essential because, as the researchers noted, it can “detect discrepancies
between the actual and the desired state,” “mediate integration and evaluation
of emotional, motivational, and cognitive information,” and “modulate
attention.” Activating the ACC via self-reflection, in other words, can promote
business success by helping leaders to identify their values and strategic
goals, synthesize information to attain those goals, and implement strong action
plans.
Clearly,
most self-reflection doesn’t occur in laboratory settings—it must be adapted to
the C-suite and other work situations. An exciting way to do this in a focused
and intensive manner is via “philosophical
counseling.” A growing international movement, philosophical counseling
has been called “therapy
for the sane” because it helps rational, mentally healthy individuals to
clarify their world-views and goals in the face of challenges and transitions.
Philosophical counselors and their clients engage in structured conversations
that incorporate self-reflection on values and goals. Drawing on ancient
philosophers of Eastern and Western traditions (from Socrates to Confucius), as
well as contemporary philosophers, it supports people’s development of their own
personal philosophies and empowers them to reach their highest human aspirations
and ideals.
Consider
a CEO who demeans his colleagues by rolling his eyes at them, interrupting them,
and otherwise devaluing their roles. He now faces a thorny ethical challenge for
the company, one that could damage its financial position and reputation. The
CEO has nowhere to turn to discuss the dilemma, because he has alienated his
executive team. Philosophical counseling could help him to curtail his obnoxious
behaviors and improve his “positivity ratio” by
facilitating self-reflection on his character and values. A CEO client in this
situation found that contemplating the writings of an ancient philosopher (Socrates) and a 20th century
philosopher (Habermas) empowered
him to implement an enhanced process of dialogue, consensus building, and “communicative
rationality”with his leadership team. Philosophical reasoning, coupled with
positive behavior changes, positioned him to lead the firm through a treacherous
time.
Philosophical
self-reflection is essential at inflection points in one’s career, when a leader
faces a serious challenge, dilemma, or crisis. How can leaders benefit from this
kind of self-reflection without necessarily entering into a formal engagement
with a philosophical counselor? They first need to pause and contemplate their
core values. The works of a range of philosophers, (female and male, from many
cultural traditions) can help. As an example, I often suggest my “SANE”
mnemonic, drawing on key questions posed by preeminent Western philosophers:
Socrates, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and the Existentialists.
Socrates: What is the most
challenging question someone could ask me about my current approach?
Aristotle: What character
virtues are most important to me and how will I express them?
Nietzsche: How will
I direct my “will to power,” manage my self-interest, and act in
accordance with my chosen values?
Existentialists (e.g., Sartre): How will I
take full responsibility for my choices and the outcomes to which they lead?
This
is no academic exercise, but should have “cash value” in the real world. By
reflecting seriously on these questions, the CEO discovered a structured format
to handle the financial and ethical dilemma facing the firm. He realized that he
viewed “respect for others” and “modesty” as among his core values and desired
virtues, prompting him to curtail his demeaning behaviors and hold productive
discussions with his team about next steps. This ultimately yielded a consensus
and reasoned decision-making. By taking responsibility for reflecting on his
values and choices for how to collaborate, the CEO completely transformed the
situation and solidified his leadership role.
Like
“mindfulness” activities, self-reflection requires time and effort. But it
doesn’t call for an intentional shutting down of thought. Instead, it requires
the leader to think rigorously about profound philosophical issues like value
and purpose. The reward of self-reflection is what Aristotle calledphronēsis (“practical wisdom”). Contemplating
timeless philosophical values can fuel timely behavior changes in the service of
growth and lasting success.
The
goal of most executive coaching and leadership development is behavior
change—help the individual identify and change the behaviors that are getting in
the way of, and reinforce the behaviors associated with, effective leadership.
But what about the beliefs and values that drivebehavior?
The
benefits of introspection and reflection on one’s own character and beliefs
receive less attention in a typical coaching session than the benefits of
behavior change. Perhaps this is not surprising in our fast-paced and
technology-driven business world, where there is little time to stop and think,
and where people want (and are paying for) immediate outcomes. Despite growing
recognition of the benefits of “mindfulness”
activities (such as yoga and meditation) and an introverted style, self-reflection on philosophical
issues—such as values, character virtues, and wisdom—is relatively neglected.
Executive coaching and leadership development programs rarely include much, if
anything, about the power of clarifying one’s philosophical world-view. But there
is mounting evidence that they should.
Neuroscience
research on self-reflection supports this notion. A recent study reported in BMC Neuroscience revealed that a critical brain region—the
anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) —was activated during self-reflection tasks. The
ACC is essential because, as the researchers noted, it can “detect discrepancies
between the actual and the desired state,” “mediate integration and evaluation
of emotional, motivational, and cognitive information,” and “modulate
attention.” Activating the ACC via self-reflection, in other words, can promote
business success by helping leaders to identify their values and strategic
goals, synthesize information to attain those goals, and implement strong action
plans.
Clearly,
most self-reflection doesn’t occur in laboratory settings—it must be adapted to
the C-suite and other work situations. An exciting way to do this in a focused
and intensive manner is via “philosophical
counseling.” A growing international movement, philosophical counseling
has been called “therapy
for the sane” because it helps rational, mentally healthy individuals to
clarify their world-views and goals in the face of challenges and transitions.
Philosophical counselors and their clients engage in structured conversations
that incorporate self-reflection on values and goals. Drawing on ancient
philosophers of Eastern and Western traditions (from Socrates to Confucius), as
well as contemporary philosophers, it supports people’s development of their own
personal philosophies and empowers them to reach their highest human aspirations
and ideals.
Consider
a CEO who demeans his colleagues by rolling his eyes at them, interrupting them,
and otherwise devaluing their roles. He now faces a thorny ethical challenge for
the company, one that could damage its financial position and reputation. The
CEO has nowhere to turn to discuss the dilemma, because he has alienated his
executive team. Philosophical counseling could help him to curtail his obnoxious
behaviors and improve his “positivity ratio” by
facilitating self-reflection on his character and values. A CEO client in this
situation found that contemplating the writings of an ancient philosopher (Socrates) and a 20th century
philosopher (Habermas) empowered
him to implement an enhanced process of dialogue, consensus building, and “communicative
rationality”with his leadership team. Philosophical reasoning, coupled with
positive behavior changes, positioned him to lead the firm through a treacherous
time.
Philosophical
self-reflection is essential at inflection points in one’s career, when a leader
faces a serious challenge, dilemma, or crisis. How can leaders benefit from this
kind of self-reflection without necessarily entering into a formal engagement
with a philosophical counselor? They first need to pause and contemplate their
core values. The works of a range of philosophers, (female and male, from many
cultural traditions) can help. As an example, I often suggest my “SANE”
mnemonic, drawing on key questions posed by preeminent Western philosophers:
Socrates, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and the Existentialists.
Socrates: What is the most
challenging question someone could ask me about my current approach?
Aristotle: What character
virtues are most important to me and how will I express them?
Nietzsche: How will
I direct my “will to power,” manage my self-interest, and act in
accordance with my chosen values?
Existentialists (e.g., Sartre): How will I
take full responsibility for my choices and the outcomes to which they lead?
This
is no academic exercise, but should have “cash value” in the real world. By
reflecting seriously on these questions, the CEO discovered a structured format
to handle the financial and ethical dilemma facing the firm. He realized that he
viewed “respect for others” and “modesty” as among his core values and desired
virtues, prompting him to curtail his demeaning behaviors and hold productive
discussions with his team about next steps. This ultimately yielded a consensus
and reasoned decision-making. By taking responsibility for reflecting on his
values and choices for how to collaborate, the CEO completely transformed the
situation and solidified his leadership role.
Like
“mindfulness” activities, self-reflection requires time and effort. But it
doesn’t call for an intentional shutting down of thought. Instead, it requires
the leader to think rigorously about profound philosophical issues like value
and purpose. The reward of self-reflection is what Aristotle calledphronēsis (“practical wisdom”). Contemplating
timeless philosophical values can fuel timely behavior changes in the service of
growth and lasting success.
DAVID BRENDEL
David
Brendel, MD, PhD is a certified executive coach, career consultant, and
philosophical counselor based in Boston. He is founder and director of Leading
Minds Executive & Personal Coaching. Follow
him on Twitter @DrDavidBrendel
David
Brendel, MD, PhD is a certified executive coach, career consultant, and
philosophical counselor based in Boston. He is founder and director of Leading
Minds Executive & Personal Coaching. Follow
him on Twitter @DrDavidBrendel
