Socrates knew…

424 B.C. Athens and another little town called Boetia are at war. The battle of Delium was a battle between 50,000 men that lasted only a few hours and resulted in one of Athens biggest disasters. They were crushed. Most ran from the battlefield. As they ran, they were easy targets for their enemy. Most died from a spear to their back. Not good.

Hippocrates died fighting here. The entire generation of Thespians suffered a holocaust here. And, Socrates fought here. Yes, that’s not a typo. Socrates was a warrior/philosopher. He survived the battle that killed so many of his brothers because of how he exited the battlefield. 

He exited with sword in hand and armor on his back. He exited slowly. He walked out backwards while protecting one of his countrymen. Here’s what Plato recorded in his work titled Symposium from an eyewitness, Alcibiades.

“…He (Socrates) made his way there just as he does here in Athens, ‘swaggering and glancing sideways.’ So he looked around calmly at both his friends and the enemy; he was clearly giving the message to anyone even at a distance that if anyone touched this man, he quickly would put up a stout defense. The result was that he and his partner got away safely. For it is true that attackers do not approach men of this caliber but instead go after those fleeing head-long.” 

We want our clients to slow down so they can speed up – productively. We want them to reflect, contemplate, and choose the most productive action to move them and their teams toward their dream, through their crisis, and in alignment with guiding principles. Reflective action produces the kinda team that “gets away safely.” Reflective action produces a team that say’s “don’t mess with us.” Reflective action produces a team that lives to fight another day. 

What kind of team are you leading, leader? When shit hits the fan are you like Socrates? Slow down. Reflect. Socrates knew when to walk out backward. You? Good.

Live hard. Love harder…