Leadership in Stoic Philosophy: Virtues and Communication

Abstract

In the context of Stoic philosophical ethics, this article examines the theory of leadership traits and behaviour, leadership virtues, communication, and life practices. The Stoic philosophical tradition, which originated in ancient antiquity, is gaining popularity and relevance in today’s world of technological change, competition and insecurity. An analysis of the scientific literature reveals that leadership is widely addressed within various disciplines, reflecting its growing role in economics, business, politics, education, the media, and other areas of society. The article demonstrates that although the Stoics did not use the terms ‘leadership’ or ‘communication,’ their philosophy can be related to the theory of personal leadership by providing a broad and comprehensive presentation of the individual’s moral system, practices of self-restraint and self-development in life, behavioural patterns and communication principles. The analysis reveals that the theories of self-regulation, self-direction, intrinsic motivation and other qualities of a leader, as defined by contemporary leadership researchers, have their origins in Stoic philosophy.