The Power of Phronesis

Your essential, personal wisdom - your phronesis - is a potent leadership tool.

I find myself thinking a lot about wisdom these days. Maybe it’s because I’m inching toward that stage in life when my birthdate suggests I ought to have it (Gulp!). Maybe it’s because of all the chatter around artificial intelligence and how it is taking jobs away from actual humans, whose wisdom isn’t replaceable by algorithms and machines. Maybe because, as the current zeitgeist continues to feel so turbulent, I sense a strong yearning for sources of wisdom as beacons of hope amidst chaos and negativity.

We’re discussing different forms of wisdom in my monthly meetups of small groups of women leaders that I call Sidecar Rally. This month we’re focused on phronesis.  In Ancient Greek philosophy, phronesis is a type of wisdom or intelligence concerned with practical action. It implies both good judgment and excellence of character and habits that results in wise actions.

Think of 'phronesis' as your core, embodied wisdom; your 'essence.' It’s wisdom that becomes innate in us through a combination of DNA, upbringing, education, experiences, encounters, events, and how all of those have shaped the ‘who’ of us: our personal beliefs, principles, values and attributes. Phronesis is like our internal GPS, which guides us always and determines the way we respond to new information or an emerging situation. It shows up in practical ways that feel true and natural to you, though others may perceive as your superpower or noteworthy skill or attribute.

Do you have a sense of your phronesis? Here are some ways to distill it:

·        What gives you *glow-y goosebumps* – those moments when you shiver, in a positive way, because you know at your core that this positive thing happened in this particular way because of something particular about you.

·        When do you most feel connected, or in flow? You know – when you lose track of time, because, well, you could just do this kind of thing or be in this type of situation forever.

·        When people give you spontaneous positive feedback about something you’ve just done, whether in a work setting or otherwise, what’s it about?

·        What are fundamental traits you possess that make you good at what you do, that are inherent to you (and that parents/siblings/friends from childhood could corroborate), not ‘learned’ (through training/ education/ professional experience)?

·        You overhear people you admire talking admiringly about you, in a way that you feel captures your ‘essence.’ What are they saying?

·        What do states of heightened emotion, such as anger or conflict, reveal about what you most value?

Don’t get me wrong: AI has its place, and can be an incredibly useful tool, particularly for tasks that don’t require emotion or nuanced thinking. Indeed, if used appropriately, AI can clear up time and space for you to double down on cultivating and applying wisdom, including phronesis. You’ll spend less time reacting to what comes your way and more time in a ‘flow state,’ being present with what is.

Extra bonus: throwing around the term ‘phronesis’ makes you sound wise.

If you’d like some support in distilling your phronesis, I’m here in my sidecar, ready with more questions and distilling tools.

And here are some other opportunities in the Sidecar World where phronesis can be distilled, applied, enjoyed, or discussed.

-       Sidecar Summit Portugal, November 14-18 – 4 spots still available as of this writing. Come join us at lovely, phronesis-inducing Quinta Carvalhas just north of Lisbon to explore happiness – psychological safety, holistic well-being, personal fulfillment, and joy - as a critical pursuit in education, especially now.

-       Sidecar-U – a place to learn from the wisdom of your peers. Current offerings include topics related to the leadership job search, negotiating your leadership contract, and preparing yourself for financial freedom.

Finally, a leader I greatly admire is looking for a secondary school principal to join her leadership team at the Luanda International School. Here’s the position announcement. Tip: Distill your phronesis prior to applying for this or any leadership opportunity. That will give you greater clarity as you go through the recruiting process on whether the opportunity is appropriate for you.

Yours in powering up on phronesis,

Bridget