Why you Need Philosophy
Why You Need Philosophy
To be an effective leader-manager, you need to be able to understand people.
You need to understand why people behave the way they do; what drives them.
We know that every human action is governed by human thought.
Therefore, in order to understand human action, you need to understand the structure of human thought.
In order to understand human thought, you could study two different fields:
- Psychology
- Philosophy
Most people interested in understanding human behaviour choose to study psychology. Psychology is a broad field, that contains many different "schools", such as
- Gestalt
- Psychoanalysis
- Behaviourism
- Cognitivism
Business leaders often spend time learning models derived from psychology.
These psychological models drive the whole Psychometric testing industry and can be of some value. Business leaders often learn about psychological predispositions, such as learning styles, communication styles, leadership styles, Maslow hierarchy of needs, Transactional analysis, Belbin's team roles, Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and Myers Briggs, etc.
You may already train people in these models. That is helpful and good.
But, the truth is, that the key issues that really affect people's behaviour and relationships have more to do with their philosophy, rather than their psychology.
Why? Because humans are philosophical beings. Humans are the ONLY philosophical beings on the planet.
Every animal has a psychology, but NO animal has philosophy. No animal is motivated by philosophic ideas, but humans are!
Only humans think philosophically. Only humans are moved and motivated by the study of language, logic, religion, art, ethics, Justice, politics, economics, and science.
So, to understand humans you must understand philosophy.
It is our contention that understanding a person's philosophy, is far more important than understanding their psychology.
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy concerns itself with the big questions:
- Truth and falsehood.
- Logic.
- Right and wrong.
- Good and evil.
- Fairness.
- Justice.
- Politics.
- Economics.
- Good taste (Aesthetics).
- Faith.
- Religion/God
When you look at this list, you will see how it touches on every major element of human life
It is only by understanding what a person holds to be good, right, true, just and fair, that you can predict his/her actions.
Faith, logic, goodness, justice, fairness are all philosophic issues, NOT psychological issues.
People will literally go to war to defend their philosophic beliefs: their religion, their politics and their economics.
If you want to understand what really drives people, then you should look at their philosophy.
What is your personal philosophy?
Everyone has their own philosophy.
To quote Ayn Rand:
"As a human being, you have no choice about the fact that you need a philosophy. Your only choice is whether you define your philosophy by a conscious, rational, disciplined process of thought scrupulously logical deliberation - or let your subconscious mind accumulate a junk heap of unwarranted conclusions, false generalizations, undefined contradictions, undigested slogans, unidentified wishes, doubts and fears, thrown together by chance, but integrated by your subconscious mind into a kind of mongrel philosophy and fused into a single, solid weight. self-doubt, like a ball and chain in the place where your mind's wings should have grown."
Philosophy addresses the key questions that effect human action. Yet most managers know nothing about philosophic structures.
This diagram sets out the basic structures of philosophy, the sub-sets of philosophy.
You have your own personal philosophy of life and it guides your every move and mood.
Hardly anyone is taught philosophic structures, and so they have absorbed a miscellaneous philosophy: an odd mixture of many different philosophies, picked up at random, which becomes a strange blend of materialism, religion, science, mysticism, cynicism, capitalism, socialism, common sense, astrology and so on.
Each of us has absorbed contradictory information from teachers, parents, friends, TV, films, YouTube, Facebook, reading and religion.
The net result is we are not always sure what to think, nor do we know how to explain, or understand the behaviour of others.
So, there is tremendous value in understanding the philosophic structure listed in the diagram above.
Corporate Coach Training do not teach a particular philosophy, but instead, give business leaders an understanding of the power of the basic structures of philosophy, through our personal development training courses.
FREE, live streaming Personal Development Webinars.
We are offering you the opportunity to learn a powerful set of new skills, which will help you get the best result from any situation that life throws at you.
There are eight modules of approximately an hour in length, each one covers a different topic:
- How your thoughts affect the result
- Reduce fear and replace it with confidence
- How to positively influence others
- A five-part formula for success
- Prioritisation: How to get the most from every day
- Feedback: the breakfast of champions
- A healthy mind and healthy body
- How to set and achieve your goals
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Definition: leadership philosophy
A leadership philosophy is a clear framework that sets out a leader’s core beliefs about what is true, right and of value. It guides every choice, shapes team culture, lays down fair rules for action and changes through honest review when new facts appear.
Show CG4D Definition
- States clear beliefs about truth, right and value
- Guides daily decisions and goal setting
- Communicates standards that shape team behaviour
- Adapts when sound reason or new facts demand change
Article Summary
People move for ideas, not moods. When a leader knows the core ideas a person holds about truth, right and worth, the leader can see their next move, guide their choice and cut conflict. Psychology shows the shape of thought; philosophy gives the cause. Learn philosophy if you wish to lead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
Why does the article claim philosophy matters more than psychology for leaders?
How does psychology differ from philosophy when explaining behaviour?
Which big questions does philosophy tackle that guide action?
How can knowing a person’s personal philosophy help predict actions?
Are humans the only philosophical beings according to the article?
What problems arise from a mixed, unclear philosophy?
How can a manager start to form a clear leadership philosophy?
Thought of something that's not been answered? Ask Us Today!
Did You Know: Key Statistics
LinkedIn Learning’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report says 87% of leaders rank critical thinking and problem solving as the most important skills their teams need, ahead of all technical skills. Deloitte’s 2024 Global Human Capital Trends study found 79% of executives agree that clear purpose and values boost performance, yet only 27% believe their staff fully live those values.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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