The Great Leader. What makes a good leader? Leadership coaching is ubiquitous in the world of social media, and anyone can get motivated from a good quote; from words of wisdom. However, that will never explain the inner workings of leadership.
Before we can lead a team, we must lead ourselves. There’s an inward journey that must take place before we can begin to guide projects and missions outside of ourselves. Socrates – a Greek leader that only sought to know himself, what is right and just, and how learning happens – would ask that you seek to know justice.
Socratic justice, or truth, is not concerned with the outward nature of a person, but with the inward. It is this inner nature that is a human’s true self. The three principles that make up our inner nature are courage, wisdom, and restraint. A leader does not allow these three elements of their inner nature to interfere with each other, or allow any one of them to be manipulated by others.
This just and sound person sets their own inner life in order, becomes the master of their own law, and becomes at peace with themselves. When these three natural principles become tied together and finely-tuned like the higher, middle, and lower notes of a musical scale, our natures become a perfectly adjusted harmony that creates beautiful action in life.
The Great Leader
When we arrive at this complete place inside ourselves and have to act or perform in regards to property, in the treatment of body, or in some public matter of politics or in private business, we act harmoniously in accordance with wisdom. When a person, situation, or condition impairs this balance, we will call this unjust action.
Furthermore, the opinion that presides over this unjust action will be termed ignorance.
It is ignorance that takes up our energy and exhausts our spirit due to its inability to reciprocate.
Human sight is limited. It is our inability to measure time and distance – and our limited vision of the future – that makes us act towards ignorance instead of knowledge. Seek pleasure instead of pain; or give up instead of enduring trials. It is much easier to keep going when we can see the end but when there is no end in sight enduring feels endless and impossible.
Remember, only those that push, endure, and keep going, can know the ultimate pleasure in surviving pain, and eventually thriving in any situation.
The alternative to enduring is giving up, and giving up should never be an option.
It is the leaders duty to know thyself, become harmonious within, and remember how they got there. It’s easy to be an average leader, but difficult to be a great leader. An independent leader knows that their greatness lies in the abilities, freedom, and communication of their team. Admitting limited vision is the first step to harmonizing courage, asking others for perspective is acting in accordance to wisdom, and knowing when to not act, perform, or pursue, is restraint.
May your leadership flourish with the overarching trust, that others are capable so long as you unlock their potential with your leadership.
