{"id":38316,"date":"2024-09-09T20:01:16","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T03:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=38316"},"modified":"2024-09-09T20:01:16","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T03:01:16","slug":"humility-over-hubris-how-marcus-aurelius-inspires-modern-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/humility-over-hubris-how-marcus-aurelius-inspires-modern-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"Humility Over Hubris: How Marcus Aurelius Inspires Modern Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"

Syntopical Review of Meditations<\/em>: \u201cBe One\u201d \u2013 Leadership Lessons from Marcus Aurelius<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWaste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.\u201d<\/p>\n

This quote from Marcus Aurelius\u2019 Meditations<\/em>[1] gets right to the point: instead of debating what makes a good leader, simply become one. In today\u2019s world, where leadership advice is everywhere, Aurelius\u2019 direct approach reminds us that leadership is more about action than talk.<\/p>\n

If you take a closer look at Meditations<\/em>, you\u2019ll find that it\u2019s not a traditional leadership book. It\u2019s a series of personal reflections, written by a Roman emperor as he wrestled with the challenges of leading an empire\u2014and himself. Aurelius believed that leadership starts from within, that self-awareness and accountability are foundational. Before you can lead others, you have to get your own house in order. His advice is just as relevant today as it was nearly two thousand years ago.<\/p>\n

Bren\u00e9 Brown, in Dare to Lead<\/em>[2], echoes this idea. Her work is rooted in the belief that true leadership comes from vulnerability, honesty, and personal responsibility. Brown, like Aurelius, encourages leaders to do the hard inner work of understanding themselves, facing their own weaknesses, and leading with authenticity. Leadership isn\u2019t about titles or status; it\u2019s about how you show up every day, and how you hold yourself accountable for your own actions.<\/p>\n

Leading by Example, Not Just Theory<\/h3>\n

One of the key takeaways from Aurelius\u2019 writing is the importance of leading by example. His quote, \u201cWaste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one,\u201d isn\u2019t just a motivational phrase\u2014it\u2019s a clear call to action. Aurelius believed that living out your values is more important than talking about them. This idea runs through modern leadership discussions as well.<\/p>\n

In Jesus and the Powers<\/em>[3], N.T. Wright and Michael Bird examine how Jesus led not by exerting authority, but by living out the principles of love, service, and humility. He didn\u2019t just talk about justice or compassion\u2014he modeled it in everything he did. This form of leadership, based on action rather than theory, challenges the traditional notions of power and influence.<\/p>\n

Aurelius, too, lived in a world of immense power, yet his focus wasn\u2019t on control or domination. He constantly reminded himself to act with virtue and humility, knowing that others would follow his example. Today\u2019s leaders, whether in business or politics, often get caught up in strategies or frameworks. But the simple truth is, people respond to what they see. If leaders live out the values they preach, it\u2019s much more effective than any leadership theory.<\/p>\n

Ethics and Responsibility in Leadership<\/h3>\n

Mark LiVecche\u2019s The Good Kill<\/em>[4]\u00a0deals with the difficult moral questions of leadership, especially in extreme situations like warfare. His work highlights the ethical dilemmas leaders face when making tough decisions, particularly those with life-or-death consequences. Aurelius faced similar moral challenges as a military leader and emperor. In Meditations<\/em>, we see his struggle to balance the demands of leadership with his commitment to ethical behavior.<\/p>\n

Aurelius didn\u2019t shy away from difficult decisions, but he approached them with a clear sense of responsibility. He knew that power alone wasn\u2019t enough\u2014it had to be guided by virtue. His reflections emphasize the importance of keeping a strong moral compass, even when the choices are hard. Leaders today face different kinds of challenges, but the need for ethical decision-making remains constant.<\/p>\n

The same is true in John Poole\u2019s Robot Souls<\/em>[5], where the ethical implications of artificial intelligence are front and center. As technology evolves, leaders are increasingly tasked with making decisions that affect not just individuals, but entire societies. The complexities may be new, but Aurelius\u2019 approach still holds: focus on what\u2019s right, control what you can, and act with integrity.<\/p>\n

The Challenge of Leading in Complex Times<\/h3>\n

In today\u2019s fast-moving world, leaders are often faced with overwhelming complexity. It can be tempting to look for quick fixes or follow the latest trends in leadership. But, as both Aurelius and Bren\u00e9 Brown point out, leadership doesn\u2019t come from following a formula. It comes from a commitment to personal growth, ethical action, and leading by example.<\/p>\n

Brown\u2019s work in Dare to Lead<\/em> offers a modern take on many of the ideas Aurelius wrestled with. She emphasizes the need for vulnerability, courage, and empathy in leadership\u2014traits that aren\u2019t always easy to cultivate but are necessary for building trust and meaningful connections. Aurelius, too, acknowledged that leadership is hard work. He often wrote about the daily struggle to act with patience, kindness, and self-control, even in the face of stress and adversity.<\/p>\n

The message is clear: leadership isn\u2019t about perfection. It\u2019s about striving to live out your values every day, even when it\u2019s difficult. Both Aurelius and Brown understand that leadership is more about the process than the destination. It\u2019s about showing up, doing the work, and being accountable to yourself and those you lead.<\/p>\n

Stop Debating, Start Doing<\/h3>\n

So what can we take away from Aurelius\u2019 Meditations<\/em> and its connections to modern thinkers like Wright, Bird, Poole, LiVecche, and Brown? It all comes back to the quote that started this discussion: \u201cWaste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an age where we spend so much time discussing leadership\u2014what it is, what it should look like, how to achieve it\u2014Aurelius cuts through the noise. He challenges us to stop theorizing and start doing. Leadership, whether in ancient Rome or the modern boardroom, is about action. It\u2019s about living out your values, making ethical choices, and holding yourself accountable.<\/p>\n

From Aurelius to Bren\u00e9 Brown, the message is consistent: leadership begins with you. It\u2019s not about achieving perfection or having all the answers. It\u2019s about doing the work, every day, to be the kind of leader others can look to as an example. It\u2019s about being the person you aspire to be, not just talking about it.<\/p>\n

In the end, the world doesn\u2019t need more discussions about leadership. It needs more people who are willing to step up and live it. Be one.<\/p>\n

[1] Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations<\/em>. Translated by Gregory Hays. New York: Modern Library, 2002.<\/p>\n

[2] Brown, Bren\u00e9. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations<\/em>. Whole Hearts. New York: Random House, 2018.<\/p>\n

[3] LiVecche, Mark. The Good Kill: Just War and Moral Injury<\/em>. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.<\/p>\n

[4] Poole, John. Robot Souls: Programming in Humanity<\/em>. San Francisco: TechBooks Publishing, 2019.<\/p>\n

[5] Wright, N. T., and Michael F. Bird. Jesus and the Powers: Christian Political Witness in an Age of Totalitarian Terror and Dysfunctional Democracies<\/em>. London: SPCK Publishing, 2024\u200b<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Syntopical Review of Meditations: \u201cBe One\u201d \u2013 Leadership Lessons from Marcus Aurelius \u201cWaste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.\u201d This quote from Marcus Aurelius\u2019 Meditations[1] gets right to the point: instead of debating what makes a good leader, simply become one. In today\u2019s world, where leadership advice is everywhere, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":175,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2310],"tags":[2489,3221],"class_list":["post-38316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership-3","tag-dlgp02","tag-aurelius","cohort-dlgp02"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/175"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38316"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38317,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38316\/revisions\/38317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}