My philosophy is a blend of philosophical and coaching varietals swirled together. As a virtual wine, my brand of leadership coaching is a Modern Day Stoic meritage.
Like the Stoics of two thousand years ago (Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca), I believe that as individuals we should try valiantly to walk the path of virtue (e.g., wisdom, bravery, fairness, respect, compassion, restraint, humility). The reality is that we cannot control or rely on external events- only ourselves and our responses. The world is an unpredictable and sometimes ruthless place, and yet in the midst of it we can and should strive to make virtuous decisions.
In the brief flash of consciousness that makes up our individual lives there are times to be steadfast and strong, in control of yourself- and conversely there are times to let it go. The reason that my leadership wine is a meritage is that I also believe that life should be fun. And beautiful. And that love can be a powerful driver. The Modern Day Stoic is less severe.
We as humans naturally have all kinds of cognitive biases to wade through. We suffer from reflexive thoughts and behaviors over logic as a matter of course. I’m sure that even Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca were sometimes jealous, petty, mean and irrational. I think that the law of entropy applies to human relationships. All of this is part of the overall landscape- it just is. Our job is to navigate it skillfully.
How to skillfully navigate?
I prioritize behavior over words. I try to break things down into what can and cannot be acted upon. I like to use simple mental frameworks as tools but I don’t get wrapped up in complicated theories, and I’m not trying to sell a book. As a Modern Day Stoic, I think it’s important to be clear about what you want and setting clear goals accordingly. I believe that our guiding lights should have practical applications- both coaching and philosophy need to transcend the purely intellectual.
I believe that the right state of mind is the most important framework, the key lens. Resilience, wisdom, choosing the right actions and words, creativity, innovation all flow from one’s own mindset. There are strategies and tactics and spiritual practices that will help increase the likelihood of achieving “the right” mindset, and to me therein lies the virtuous path.