Marcus Aurelius and The Weeble-Like Resilient Leader …They Wobble, But Won’t Fall
This blog draws heavily on Stoic philosophy (Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus) to define resilience not as simply enduring challenges, but as maintaining one’s inner fortress, staying steady, and doing the right thing in the face of what fate throws at you.
Here are valuable insights on the importance of resilient leadership and how to cultivate it.
The Temperate Leader
At times, lately too many, the world is noisy, threatening to distract our focus, equilibrium, and sanity. For a leader, this external bombardment can become internalized, leading to frustration, impatience, and knee jerk reactiveness. Resilient leadership, as taught by the ancient Stoics, especially Marcus Aurelius, is about self-mastery/self-discipline … the ability to think clearly, independently, and wisely, even when the environment is tempting you to do otherwise.
The Importance of Wobbling, But Not Falling
Stuff happens, and without warning. Shocked? Maybe. But, never be surprised. So, how do we combat the unpredictable and the inevitable?
Weeble-like resilience is a leader's secret weapon, allowing you to be the calm epicenter for yourself and your team when everything else is shaking … you may be wobbling, but you’ll never fall.
Preserving Decency and Humanness: As Marcus Aurelius warned, you don’t have to like everyone or condone how they behave, but you must treat everyone with decency and humanness. Resilient leaders remain steady in uncertain times, serving as a moral compass for all whom they encounter.
Maintaining Clarity and Focus: Resilient leaders understand the difference between what they can control and what they cannot. They do not subject themselves to activities that disrupt focus and disturb clear thinking and rational action. By being insightful … they channel their effort to tasks where they can make a difference.
Role Model for Self-Control: Leaders with deep resilience demonstrate an ability to manage their emotions, let go of their ego, and maintain compassion no matter the circumstance. Doing so, provides a powerful example, creating a stable and productive environment for themselves and their teams.
How to Cultivate Unshakeable Resilience
Resilience is a skill developed through practice, study, and self-reflection. It can become part of the fabric of who you are … part of your practice.
1. Avoid the Second Arrow (Your Reaction)
The Stoics understood that real harm doesn't come from the event itself (the first arrow: a mistake being made), but from the second arrow* (our reaction to the event).
The Practice: Recognize when you are shooting yourself (in the foot, or some other anatomical location) with the "second arrow." It can be identified as a “pity party,” self-blame, or resentment. When circumstances turn on you, your first task is to stop the internal narrative that says you've been singled out or harmed. The harm is in feeling harmed by it and letting that perception change your behavior for the worse.
The Action: Focus your energy on what you can do, not on how badly you feel. Get going on what is within your sphere of influence.
2. Commit to the Pursuit of Wisdom
Resilient leadership requires wisdom to discern when to speak up or stay silent, whether to accept or pivot, and what does and doesn’t truly matter.
The Practice: Understand that wisdom is a life long journey, never to be achieved, but always to be pursued. It’s gratifying work, but it’s a battle against ego, misperception, and life’s madness.
The Action: Commit to ongoing study and self-reflection. Cull from great leaders and thinkers to gain the perspective required to know what is important and what is merely distracting noise.
By strengthening your inner fortress through wisdom and self-control, you become a leader who responds more than reacts and is focused more than distracted, and inspires others to do the same.
*Taken from a Buddhist Story