This week’s Cyb3rSyn Newsletter brings the fifth Cyb3rSyn Labs Podcast episode, my conversation with Mahmoud Rasmi. This episode is available to all the subscribers of the Cyb3rSyn Newsletter (including free) and can be watched on www.cyb3rsyn.com.
Mahmoud is the author of the book, ‘Philosophy for Business Leaders’, which is available as a free download to the Cyb3rSyn Community-tier subscribers. This book explores the importance of asking questions, questioning our assumptions, embracing and navigating uncertainty and adversity, and finding meaning in them, as well as exploring ethical decision-making frameworks.
Whether you’re a business leader or a professional, this book invites you to look at the problems you’re facing at work and in your life from a fresh perspective, using basic philosophical tools, stories, and real-life examples.
In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing
Table of Contents
Podcast with Mahmoud Rasmi
Our discussion explores the relevance and importance of philosophy for technology practitioners, entrepreneurs, and executives. Mahmoud shares his personal journey into philosophical thinking, highlighting experiences and curiosities that sparked his interest. The conversation further examines the practical application of philosophy in the workplace, including self-awareness, epistemic humility, and questioning assumptions.
Navigating the "Too Philosophical" Label
A common pushback against philosophical discussions in the workplace is the perception of being "too philosophical". The conversation tackled this head-on, drawing a parallel to Socrates questioning assumptions in the marketplace, which ultimately led to his downfall. The key takeaway was the need for balance. While constant questioning and challenging assumptions are vital for progress, the timing and context are crucial. Philosophy shouldn't become an impediment to action but a framework for more thoughtful and impactful decisions.
Effective Leadership: Self-Awareness and Epistemic Humility
A central theme of the discussion was the critical importance of self-awareness and epistemic humility for effective leadership. In today's environment, where top leaders are often insulated from the ground reality, the ability to honestly assess one's own knowledge and limitations is paramount.
The conversation explored the difficulty of cultivating self-awareness. It's not merely about understanding how we perceive ourselves (inner self-awareness) but also how others perceive us (external self-awareness). The anecdote of Alan Mulally, former CEO of Boeing, receiving blunt feedback from a direct report highlighted the transformative power of seeking and embracing others’ perspectives.
Epistemic humility, the recognition that what we know is not absolute or complete, is a natural extension of self-awareness. In a world characterized by uncertainty, leaders who acknowledge the limits of their knowledge are better positioned to ask the right questions, foster a culture of learning, and adapt to evolving circumstances.
Full Episode
The full podcast episode is here:
The links to all the books referenced in the conversation is available below for premium-tier subscribers.
Subscribe to "I'm Serious" to read the rest.
Multidisciplinary Insights the improve the effectiveness of Tech. Practitioners, Executives and Entrepreneurs!
Let's go!A subscription gets you:
- ✅ 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬, real-world examples, reusable templates and more!
- 👩💻 Online access to the premium content archive!
- 🤩 Unlock ability to interact with Comments, Surveys, etc.
- 💡 Multidisciplinary insights for passionate human-centric 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀!
- 💸 Survive-and-thrive guidance for post-ZIRP era 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀!
- 🎉 A new way to think and lead organizations for "systems" aware 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬!