Plato's Ethics and Leadership: Theory Applied to Business

Introduction: Plato and the Ethics of Leadership

Plato should always be part of any conversation about leadership theory, because he deals with ethics in many of his writings, and ethics are vital to effective leadership. In particular, his dialogues in The Republic—especially "The Allegory of the Cave"—address ethics in a rather abstract sense (Peterfreund, White, & Denise, 2007; Giardina, 1999). This allegory will be used here to explain how Plato understands human ethics and behavior, because ethical standards appear to be eroding in modern life, and human behaviors are growing more complex as the world changes, technology advances, and people must adapt their approach to leadership and being led.

According to Plato, the nature and origin of justice is such that men who are able to do wrong to others will often do so, while men who lack the strength to protect themselves will refrain from harming others. What Plato suggests is that human nature frequently leads people to get away with whatever they can, and those who cannot defend themselves often do not attempt to harm others because they recognize that the reciprocal harm they might suffer would outweigh any potential gain. This dynamic presents a particular problem in a leadership capacity, because people in positions of power often exploit that power. This was seen in the Enron scandal, with Bernard Madoff, and with countless other companies and individuals who were given authority over others.

Plato's argument may make people sound fundamentally unkind, but that is not entirely his point. What he actually means is that those who are more capable of fending for themselves will be less concerned about how others perceive their actions. This is not solely due to a lack of ethics, but rather to the fact that human nature does not lead everyone to perceive ethics in the same way—and, as the well-known maxim goes, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Ethics are also central to "The Allegory of the Cave." The people who are suddenly released from the cave would not know how to react in the sunlight, because the world they found themselves in would not seem real to them (Peterfreund, White, & Denise, 2007).

Their ethics would differ from those of people who have always lived in the light, because their perceptions of the world and how it operates would not match those of others. For someone who has always occupied a leadership role, always had money, or always been privileged, life looks fundamentally different from the perspective of someone without those advantages. The ethical and moral frameworks of these two individuals would conflict, creating problems for both—but especially for the person outside the leadership position.

Plato's Philosophical Influences

It is important to examine Plato's work carefully, because much of what he explored regarding ethics and human conduct relates directly to leadership—both as it was handled in the past and as it continues to be handled today. Much of Plato's philosophy was shaped by three earlier thinkers: Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides. Each of these figures will be addressed briefly in order to show how their work was taken up by Plato, and how Plato's resulting philosophy remains significant for leaders even now.

Pythagoras is best remembered for creating the Pythagorean Theorem (Kahn, 2004), but he was far more than a mathematician—he was also a philosopher. He and his followers believed that everything was cyclical and moved in patterns; in other words, all events could be explained through mathematics, and there was nothing mystical about them. Pythagoras exerted a strong influence on Plato in many ways.

Heraclitus also left a significant mark on Plato. Heraclitus composed philosophical statements that appear fragmented yet carry considerable significance. He believed that opposition produced harmony and that concord arose from discord. Plato acknowledged the idea of "becoming" that was central to Heraclitean thought. Many of Heraclitus's moral values were, however, essentially designed for what one might consider a closed society, and he held that good and evil were fundamentally identical. His philosophy was accepted by some and rejected by others (Kahn, 2004), and it does not align easily with most modern thinking about leadership.

Parmenides was another philosopher who profoundly shaped Plato. His philosophy was generally presented in verse, and he was regarded by some as a philosopher, a magician, and a prophet. His work was esoteric and obscure—qualities that also characterize much of Plato's writing. The influence of Parmenides on Plato is unmistakable and altered the entire trajectory of Western philosophy (Kahn, 2004). Plato even refers to Parmenides in his own works, urging readers to respect and study him. Many consider Parmenides the "grandfather" of Western philosophy, though others dispute this, as is often the case with evolving philosophical concepts.

Humanity and Perceptual Differences

Because of the differences in perception that people bring to ethical questions, it cannot be claimed that someone from one background possesses better or worse ethics than someone from another. In most cases, ethics can only be recognized as different. This does not make a person right or wrong; it simply reflects the fact that people are different from one another. The central conclusions Plato reaches in many of his writings are that people perceive ethics differently, and that those who come from other cultures and places are often seen as holding different ethical views—generally because of how they understand the world. In some ways, this connects to the views of other philosophers such as Descartes, who believed that perceptions of the world are inherently flawed because one cannot fully rely on one's senses (Taylor, 2001; Guthrie, 1986).

Plato's philosophical positions are difficult to argue against. Most of his observations about human nature and ethics remain sound and continue to hold true today. What he believes about human nature can be verified by observing how all kinds of people respond to the specific events of their lives (Guthrie, 1986). Because of this, many individuals today agree with Plato and believe his insights will continue to stand the test of time. This holds true both in personal life and in professional life, and leadership is part of that equation. People are not leaders only when they run corporations; they also lead families, peer groups, and friends by example. Too many people forget that the qualities that make a good leader are important in every facet of life, not just in formal roles where one leads for a paycheck.

The conclusions Plato reached have endured because they are grounded in truth, and because human nature has not changed fundamentally since his time. Technology and other aspects of civilization have advanced far beyond anything Plato could likely have imagined, but the intrinsic nature of human beings has remained constant and will probably continue to do so. This is what ensures that Plato's reflections on ethics and morality continue to be studied and respected—especially where the leadership of others is concerned and where people are called upon to show others how to live well.

Conclusion

Employees are people, not merely pawns in an organization, and they deserve to be treated as valued contributors. When they are downsized, relocated for the sake of cheaper labor, asked to accept pay cuts, fired without cause, or otherwise ethically mistreated, they are viewed by their leaders as nothing more than commodities—like raw materials in a production process. At that point, they are not treated as individuals with autonomy or intrinsic worth, and they typically understand that the organization has no genuine respect for or interest in who they are as human beings (Anderson, 1998). Often, sadly, they are correct in that understanding.

There are those, such as Kenneth Keller, who argue that business should be concerned with profitability and nothing else (2001)—or at least that nothing matters as much as the bottom line. It is true that a business unable to turn a realistic profit may eventually need to relocate, close, or reduce its workforce. However, many alternatives deserve consideration before those steps are taken. In other words, more ethical choices can and should be made before any drastic measures are implemented. This is not to say that relocating or even closing a business cannot be done ethically and responsibly—only that many leaders choose unethical approaches when handling such changes.

As society continues to evolve and technology places ever more options on the table, leaders will find still more ways to connect with their employees. This can help them remain more attuned to the people who work alongside them and to see those people as full human beings. It may, however, also produce the opposite effect, making people seem even more like numbers—nameless, faceless drones with whom a leader communicates only electronically, with no need for any personal connection. Plato would likely be profoundly shocked by what has become of society since his time, given that the concept of ethics is so often disregarded today—especially by those in business who are charged with managing, leading, and looking after others. Until leaders genuinely recognize the value in every person and understand how to harness that value to advance the organization as a whole—without leaving anyone behind—ethics will continue to be largely ignored.

Bibliography

Anderson, Albert A. (1999). Downsizing and the Meaning of Work. Business Ethics Program.

Donaldson, Thomas, and A. R. Gini. (1984). Case Studies in Business Ethics, 2nd ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

Giardina, Denise. (1999). Saints and Villains. New York: Ballantine Books.

Guthrie, W. K. C. (1986). A History of Greek Philosophy: Volume 4, Plato: The Man and His Dialogues: Earlier Period. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kahn, Charles H. (2004). "The Framework." Plato and the Socratic Dialogue: The Philosophical Use of a Literary Form. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Keller, Kenneth W. (2002). What does a business owe the community? Signal.

LaCroix, W. L. (1979). Principles for Ethics in Business. Washington: University Press of America.

Nails, Debra. (2006). "The Life of Plato of Athens." In A Companion to Plato, edited by Hugh H. Benson. New York: Blackwell Publishing.

Peterfreund, S., White, N., & Denise, Theodore. (2007). Great Traditions in Ethics, 12th ed. New York: Wadsworth.

Taylor, Alfred Edward. (2001). Plato: The Man and His Work. New York: Courier Dover Publications.