In this episode, join Rob and Sarah as they delve into the life, philosophy, and leadership of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. They explore his humble beginnings, his profound stoic teachings, and how his writings still resonate today. They discuss the essential qualities of stoic leadership, the impact of historical context, and the importance of aligning actions with core values. This deep conversation also touches on personal growth, the Enneagram, vulnerability, and the timeless relevance of ancient wisdom in modern times. A must-watch for anyone interested in self-mastery, leadership, and philosophical introspection.

00:00 Introduction to Note Taking and Personal Reflections

01:08 The Backstory of Marcus Aurelius

02:13 Philosophical Insights and Personal Connections

03:49 The Stoic Leader and His Values

06:37 Comparing Historical Leaders

11:49 Modern Reflections on Leadership and Stoicism

20:01 Exploring the Connection Between Ego and Emotion

21:23 The Core of Leadership and Vulnerability

25:31 Understanding and Resolving Conflict

27:13 The Importance of Authenticity and Self-Discovery

33:29 The Impact of Industrial Revolution on Human Behavior

35:59 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts

£2 trillion was wiped from the world's stock markets last week.

Economist's estimate that the cost of Donald Trump's tariffs will be $1 trillion. If you ever believe you alone can't make a difference, consider the impact of Mr Trump. One man creating worldwide havoc financially and diplomatically.

Millions of Americans think he's just what America needs.

Billions around the world think he's nuts. And dangerous. But the point is, all the upheaval, uncertainty and anxiety is created by a narrative.

Every day in our workplaces and families we operate on narratives.

Whether it's to fight a war. To work from home or the office. Or to eat your veg and get up at 5am.

It's all a narrative.

Some are true and positive. Some are dangerous dogma. But we all work from a narrative.

Friction in our relationships and our workflows have a cost.

That cost is because the narrative we work on isn't true. When people protest at Tesla and in the streets, it's a reaction to not being told the truth. Humans have a built in BS radar for lies and they retaliate.

Sometimes with violence and sometimes by quietly disengaging.

Some lies are agreed. Some are manipulative. And some are borne from ignorance.

The money today doesn't go to the people who do the work.

It goes to the people who create the narrative for the people who do the work. Most of us today are knowledge workers. We play our part in creating that narrative.

Creating a better narrative is the most valuable activity of our time.

In this podcast episode Clark Ray, Tony Walmsley and I discussed the importance of narratives.

"Once more and I'm going to deck him".

Do you love or hate open plan offices?

I tried working at a co-working space at my local Uni. It was quiet when I got in, but once the Uni staff got in, they would be gossiping through the day. I really struggled to be able to concentrate in that environment.

When we go to work, we don't choose who we work with.

We are put together with a group of strangers. Some become friends. But others grate on us.

Their little habits irritate us.

The one who chews so loud. The one who plays music so loud through headphones that everyone else has to listen. The person who's always cold and ramps the heating up.

It's these little frictions that build up resentments and can explode in anger.

Tony Walmsley and I were talking about the personality differences that create these frictions. And how understanding can help us to ease personality conflicts.

Is it fair?

Toddlers in pre-school cry that it's unfair.. Elon Musk and Donald Trump are doing much the same. Your team will too.

There's a deep human need for things to feel fair.

Yet, there is no sign that life and the universe intend life to be fair. Every species is different. And every person is different.

Your team will judge you for your fairness.

Yet, that doesn't mean that you treat them the same. Sometimes it's been refined into equitable. That everyone has the same chance.

Your job as a Manager is not to treat everyone the same.

It's to understand which each need. In our conversation Tony Walmsley talked about the differences between Sprinters and Marathon Runners. Each needs different things.

Your team members each have different needs... your job is to work out what they are.

Today's podcast episode was a discussion with Niki Vinogradoff, Tony Walmsley and myself.

Who do you listen to?

Your Mentor, Guide or Inspiration is the limit to your potential.

The depth of wisdom behind their words is the limitation in how profound their impact is.

We often live in a world of superficial knowledge. A world where tactics and fads dominate. But alongside the ephemeral lies some eternal wisdom.

The Art of War is one of those deep sources of wisdom.

Still required reading on many courses. 2,500 years after being written. And it still holds true in war, business and life.

I was joined by Michael, Sarah and Tony to discuss The Art of War and it's relevance today.

What if your team's differences were it's greatest strength?

There's a belief held by many that the 9/11 Twin Towers wasn't seen because of a lack of diversity in the CIA. The CIA argued that it needed the best people to protect the country. So they recruited people who looked and thought like themselves.

Until the 9/11 tragedy highlighted a problem.

When we don't understand cultural differences we miss nuances in the intelligence gathered. So they started to recruit more diverse backgrounds to cover their blindspots. People who understood the context the intelligence came from.

Until Trump put an end to DEI initiatives at least.

Diversity is a strength because it can help us get past our own biases. Without it we are vulnerable to believing we're right. And pride always comes before our fall.

The old story of the blind men who each feel a different part of the elephant shows us why we need diversity.

If we only took one, or even two, we'd never know what an elephant was like. Together we can get a much more accurate perspective.

In today's podcast episode Clark Ray, Tony Walmsley and I discussed how cognitive diversity can be a team's strength.

There's been a lot of talk recently about quiet quitting and burnout.

Tony Walmsley talks about something he's made me think a lot about... the cost of adapting.

For starters we work in a world that is stressful for our biology.

When we then have to change our natural personality to fit a culture or our colleagues it stresses us. These adaptations come at a cost. When we make too many, for too long, we burnout.

Friction comes at the cost of efficiency. Sometimes the business pays the cost in lower profit. And sometimes the employees pay the cost personally.

As a Manager or an Employee it's something to think about... how much adaptation tax are you paying?

What is the key task of a leader?

Ask 100 people and you’ll get 100 answers. When you abstract at the most universal truth of leadership. The key is to connect people to the reality of their situation.

We are a world of 8 billion people.

Each with our own interpretation of the world. What it means. And what is good or bad.

A Leader creates a frame that fences the boundaries of the group.

The team then operate within this frame of reality. This defines shared objectives, values and standards. It becomes the culture that creates the performance.

What do you think is the key task of a Leader?

Today’s podcast episode with Clark Ray and Tony Walmsley discussed how Managers can set and control the operating frame.

What's the opposite of fragile?

Most people would say something robust. But Nassim Nicholas Taleb says that's a mistake. He argues that the opposite is something antifragile.

Something which gains from disorder.

In an increasingly volatile world, he says we shouldn't try to protect the fragile. But instead to be more resilient through anti-fragility. Industries like restaurants become better as the fragile get weeded out.

The system as a whole becomes stronger.

How can we use this principle in our work and life?

In this episode Eduardo Dos Santos Silva, Neil Hamilton and I discussed the implications.

Is a referee a leader or manager?

Often today we use the term referee or leader interchangeably. This dilutes the difference those roles have. Which poses the question... is a sports referee a leader or a manager?

Establishing the differences, allows us to define the responsibilies of each.

In today's podcast, Clark Ray, Tony Walmsley and I discussed Managers, Leaders and Followers.

What are the rights, responsibilities and duties of each?

What happens when team members fall short or disengage?

Is it the responsibility of team members to follow? Or for leaders to inspire followers to want to follow?

Share your thoughts below and as part of The Building Better Leaders Research Project

Links:

Clark Ray’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/10thman/

Clark’s Website: https://www.clarkray.com

Tony Walmsley’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-walmsley/

Tony’s Website: https://theleadersadvisory.com

Rob McPhillips’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robmcphillips/

Building Better Leaders Research: https://robmcphillips.com/building-better-leaders-project/

Chapters:

00:00 Ben White's Gamesmanship: A Controversial Tactic

00:39 Referee's Role: Leadership or Management?

01:25 Defining Leadership: A Philosophical Debate

02:33 Ethics in Sports: Comparing Football and Rugby

03:28 Historical Leaders: Churchill, Blair, and More

04:23 The Complexity of Leadership and Followership

05:31 The Referee's Ethical Dilemma

08:52 Leadership in Crisis: Trust and Authority

14:42 The Role of Vision in Leadership

20:13 Permission vs. Commitment in Leadership

31:42 The Essence of Leadership

33:25 The Problem with Modern Leadership

34:02 Historical Examples of Leadership Failures

35:50 Character and Integrity in Leadership

37:12 Leadership in Family and Society

39:39 Challenges of Leading in Today's World

44:22 The Role of Vision in Leadership

54:06 The Importance of Moral Leadership

55:45 The Need for Collective Vision

58:58 Final Thoughts on Leadership and Followership