Don’t Let Your Ego Be Your Enemy

This episode was inspired by Ryan Holiday’s book, Ego is the Enemy, and its applications of Stoicism to modern ideas of leadership and management. With everything that’s going on in the United States as a backdrop, this episode reiterates the importance of focusing on service over receiving recognition, on cultivating humility, and leading with wisdom. These practices can help you avoid developing an inflated sense of self-importance that hinders effective leadership and decision-making. Making a return guest appearance in this episode is Dr. Doug McKenna (the host’s dad!).  

Key Takeaways:

• Stoicism is an ancient philosophy of personal ethics that emphasizes wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance as a way of cultivating inner peace and strength, rather than being ruled by emotions or external circumstances.
• Stoicism encourages mindfulness, self-reflection, and exercises like negative visualization (imagining worst-case scenarios to build resilience), voluntary discomfort (practicing hardship to lessen fear of suffering), and journaling (as seen in Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations).
• Learn about your Happy 10 Seconds, the Three Things List, and your personal mission statement.  

Host:

Doug McKenna
University Registrar, George Mason University
[e-mail]   

Guests:

LTC (Ret.) Doug McKenna, PhD
Dean, Emeritus
Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico VA

References and Additional Information:

Core Competencies: Leadership and Management