Leadership Is the Practice of the Liberal Arts

Abstract

In a volume about integrating leadership into the liberal arts, this chapter thinks otherwise. It agrees with the other contributions to this volume that an education in the liberal arts is critical for meeting the leadership challenges of today’s world. However, it diverges from the mainstream in two respects: first, it portrays education in the liberal arts less as an academic venture and more akin to the development of the ability to respond to opportunities in a creative and moral manner; second, it asserts that, contrary to preconceptions and stereotypes, studying management, as a discipline of thinking and action, is central to realizing the ancient promise of leadership, which is the liberal arts as a practical wisdom aimed at doing good things in the world.

They characterize men who ignore our practical needs and delight in mental juggling of the ancient sophists as “students in philosophy” but refuse this name to those who pursue and practice those studies which will enable us to govern wisely both our households and the commonwealth—which should be the objects of our toil, of our study, or our every act.¹

—Isocrates 400 BC Athens

Discriminate, Illuminate; use abundantly all things available.²

—Confucius 400 BC China