Thoughts on Western Leadership

Thoughts on Western Leadership?

        Essay number one— a “model” or taxonomy of leadership in Western civilization.

Western leadership—specifically Hellenic leadership can be broken down into internal versus external leadership traits.

        As one views the precepts of Hellenic society one sees several internalized values a leader may use as moral compass to guide interaction and activity, he or she engages in when leading others.^[1] The internal precepts are: Know Thy Self, Arete, Moderation, Commitment, Charisma, and Wisdom, Leaders by Virtue.^[2]  If practiced and internalized these precepts guided and still guide leaders of ancient and modern times. The insight gained from the precepts allow one to see into the nature of leadership as a posed to the character of leadership. However, in addition to the internal values and precepts there were external Hellenic values and precepts that assisted the leader as he or she led others to accomplish a goal or activity. Some external values (precepts) were: Techne, Freedom, Episteme, Man is the Measure of All Things, and Golden Mean.

        In his work the Republic, Plato uses several dialogues to demonstrate the above internal and external precepts. One of the more famous examples is in book VII, here Socrates espouses his famous “allegory of the cave”.^[3] Often this is discussed in the lens focusing on the impact of knowledge on man and its relation to truth, however, the author proposes that not only is this story about knowledge and truth, it is, also about the internal and external values ancient leaders would draw upon to lead others.

        As time passed for the chained men day-after-day, the leader (or man who will escape into the light) started to experience growth through the use of the internal precepts. This allowed him to gain freedom and pass from the shadowy existence of half-truths and myths into an enlightened state.  Once he moved from the cave into the light, again increasing his sphere of understanding and personal growth, the leader starts incorporating external precepts, growing and strengthening his internal precepts, while simultaneously adding armor and weapons of the external precepts.  After growth and reflection, the leader (now knowing his role) walks back into the darkness to guide (lead) those trapped in the darkness of half-truths and myths. Once inside the cave again, the leader uses both internal and external values/precepts to lead the led towards enlightenment or along a guided path towards a goal (this is the essence of leading guiding others towards a common objective). Here we see the true value of the Hellenic model of leadership in the context of internal and external leadership traits. Guided by the internal values combined with external or learned traits, the ancient Greek leader is able to guide others towards success or in Socrates’ concept, leave the dark and enter the light.^[4]