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551 BCE
Confucius: A Contented, Moral and Happy Life
An influential Chinese philosopher, political figure known for his popular aphorisms and for his models of social interaction. Confucianism, derived from his name, is not an organized religion, it does provide rules for thinking and living that focus on love for humanity, worship of ancestors, respect for elders, self-discipline and conformity to rituals. He believes that a true leader must possess the sense of righteousness and moral power. https://www.biography.com/scholar/confucius -
470 BCE
Socrates: Have the Courage to Disagree
Born in 460/470 B.C. He is a classical Greek philosopher of the Western Systems of logic and philosophy. He is the first person who was inclined with political and ethical philosophy. According to him, in the business industry, managers should not sleepwalk or simply go along with the crowd. An organization must encourage independent thinkers and their employees to follow their conscience. He believed that wisdom comes from knowing oneself. https://www.biography.com/scholar/socrates -
428 BCE
Plato: The Power to Rule
Ancient Greek philosopher Plato founded the Academy and is the author of philosophical works of unparalleled influence in Western thought.He is perhaps the best known, most widely studied and most influential philosopher of all time. He believed that it is always important to determine the strengths and weaknesses of everyone in the organization. https://www.biography.com/scholar/plato -
384 BCE
Aristotle: Let People Seek Fulfillment
An Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist who is still considered one of the greatest thinkers in politics, psychology and ethics. According to his belief in terms of business, the management of an organization must acknowledge the contributions of each employees. This is to increase the employees' satisfaction and productivity and to make them feel significantly and morally valuable to a company. https://www.biography.com/scholar/aristotle -
341 BCE
Epicurus: The Art of Happiness
Epicurus also thought skepticism was untenable, and that we could gain knowledge of the world relying upon the senses. He taught that the point of all one's actions was to attain pleasure for oneself, and that this could be done by limiting one's desires and by banishing the fear of the gods and of death. “We mus pursue the things that make for happiness, seeing that when happiness is present, we have everything; but when it is absent, we do everything to possess it.” https://www.iep.utm.edu -
55 BCE
Epictetus: Build a Flexible Mindset
A Greek philosopher and an exponent of Stoic ethics notable for the consistency and power of his ethical thought and for effective methods of teaching. Epictetus’s chief concerns are with integrity, self-management, and personal freedom. He believed that an organization must create choices on how to respond with different crises and unfavorable situations surrounding them. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epictetus/ -
46 BCE
Plutarch: Be a Good Role Model
Plutarch of Chaeronea in Boeotia (ca. 45–120 CE) was a Platonist philosopher. The antagonism between God and indefinite Dyad, between intellect and soul, between the rational and the non-rational aspect of the world soul, and ultimately between goodness and badness is an entrenched feature of the world, according to Plutarch. He believed that whatever the managers does is important instead of what they say. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plutarch/ -
30 BCE
Gaius Musonius Rufus: Keep Track of Ones Ethical Progress
Was one of the four great Stoic philosophers of the Roman empire. He advocated a commitment to live for virtue, not pleasure, since virtue saves us from the mistakes that ruin life. He believed that philosophy must be studied not to cultivate brilliance in arguments or an excessive cleverness, but to develop good character, a sound mind, and a tough, healthy body. He believed that keeping track means trying to take an evidence-based assessment of performance. https://www.iep.utm.edu/musonius/
