Consultancy Lessons from Philosophy - Ancient Greece

Introduction

During my years in the data industry and consultancy, I've encountered many tough situations. Whether it's starting new projects, managing engagements, or building effective teams, common obstacles often stem from miscommunication, misunderstandings, or preconceived notions from both slides. While my viewpoint is influenced by my experience as a consultant, these challenges are just as relevant in various leadership or team collaboration contexts. We frequently face complex issues that demand decisive decision-making, effective communication, and a solid ethical foundation. As I happen to have a personal interest in philosophy I find it increasingly fascinating, that the principles regularly experience on can be traced back to the profound philosophies of ancient Greece.

Can it, you ask? Well let me explain...

In this blog, I examine how the ancient Greek philosophical teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle provide invaluable insights when approaching new projects and challenges.

The Unexamined Life

Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." This profound statement encourages us to constantly reflect on our actions, decisions, and their ethical implications. But why is this important for consultants/leaders?

At both a macro level (as collaborative humans) and a micro level (as individuals), understanding the "why" behind our actions helps ensure that our decisions are ethical and aligned with our values. Despite changes in culture, society, and technology, the fundamental way we think remains consistent. By examining our lives and our work, we can strive for wisdom in our professional and personal interactions.

The Odyssey of Engagements

Tackling a new project is a journey filled with numerous challenges:

• Crafting high-value proposals
• Establishing trust with our clients
• Understanding a business' challenges and requirements
• Collaborating with teams or varying skillsets
• Managing risks and budgets to reduce impedance on the success of a project.
• Ensuring engagement and adoption is high to continue in to the future

So how do we clearly understand requirements? How do we harmonize our shared understanding? How do we foster transparency to mitigate risks? All these questions require a great deal of forethought.

Navigating these challenges requires not just knowledge but wisdom. Wisdom helps us make informed and balanced decisions, navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, and communicate effectively.

So how can we do this?

Socratic Method

Socrates, a pivotal figure in ancient Greek philosophy, developed the Socratic method, a form of cooperative dialogue involving targeted questioning to stimulate critical thinking and uncover underlying assumptions. This method is incredibly relevant for consultants.

By applying the Socratic method, consultants can better understand their clients' perspectives, ensuring that the solutions provided are both effective and reasoned.

Example of the Socratic Method in Action

Let's consider an example of a consultant interacting with a client experiencing data quality issues.

Receive:

Client: "We have a small team that manages our data ingestion pipelines. The data sources they work with are frequently changing, and we have limited visibility over their work. This makes it difficult to maintain consistency and reliability in our data."

Consultant: "I see. This is a common issue we see in clients due to their changing data volumes and technical challenges to adapt to the new demands."

Note: Through active listening, the consultant demonstrates understanding and empathy of a clients situation, to validate their challenges.

Reflect:

Consultant: "So that I understand correctly, you're saying that the data quality and availability problems are primarily due to three factors: the limited size of your data team, the lack of transparency in their workflows, and the frequent evolution of data sources. Did I capture that accurately?"

Consultant: "I understand. And these issues are leading to unreliable data, which is impacting your business operations. Is that the case?"

Note: The consultant is summarising for mutual confirmation of a shared understanding.

Refine:

Note: By using the Socratic method, the consultant engages in a structured dialogue that clarifies the client's issues and uncovers the root causes. This approach ensures a deep understanding of the client's challenges and helps in formulating a well-informed and effective solution. The best outcome of such a dialogue is when the client responds with, "I've never really thought of it like that," indicating a new level of insight and understanding.

Seems simple enough right?

The challenge comes from understanding the 'journey' to get to their current dilemma so that a proposed solution, fully understanding all the issues that led to this point. By constructing diagnostic questioning from a place of empathy you can show a great level of understanding whilst also encouraging the client/team to re-evaluate their previous assumptions.

Plato’s Theory of Forms:

Plato introduced the concept of Forms—perfect, immutable ideals that exist beyond the physical world. All objects we perceive are imperfect copies of these Forms. For consultants, this idea translates to the distinction between the ideal solution and the practical implementation.

Consider the example of a chair. In Plato's theory, every chair we encounter in the physical world is an imperfect representation of the ideal Form of "Chairness." The Form of "Chairness" is the perfect, unchanging concept of a chair that exists in a realm beyond our sensory experience. Every physical chair, with its variations in design, material, and condition, is a mere shadow of this perfect Form.

For instance, when designing a data platform, clients might envision an ideal system that seamlessly integrates all data, is infinitely scalable, and requires no maintenance. This is their Form of the perfect data platform. However, our role as consultants is to understand this ideal and translate it into a feasible, functional system that addresses specific needs and constraints. By balancing the inspiration of the Form with the reality of the Particular, we can deliver solutions that are both visionary and practical.

Rhetoric

Rhetoric, the art of persuasive communication, was crucial in ancient Greek democratic societies. For consultants, rhetoric is vital for influencing decisions, gaining buy-in, and driving change. However, the use of rhetoric comes with potential dangers, as illustrated by the Sophists of ancient Greece.

The Sophists

The Sophists were a group of traveling teachers and philosophers in ancient Greece during the 5th and 4th centuries BCE. They specialized in teaching 'arete,' meaning 'virtue' or 'excellence,' often to the children of wealthy nobles. However, their approach to rhetoric was heavily criticized for several reasons:

Teaching for Money: The Sophists taught arguments not to find truth but merely to win, often for financial gain. This led to ethical concerns as they prioritized persuasion over truth and integrity.

Unethical Persuasion: Their focus was on winning arguments rather than finding genuine solutions. This often resulted in the use of clever but misleading arguments, intending to deceive rather than enlighten.

Sophistry can be seen as "the use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving." This historical lesson reminds us that while persuasive skills are powerful, they must be used ethically. As consultants, we must ensure that our arguments or justifications are not just persuasive but also honest and aligned with our clients' best interests.

Aristotle’s Ethical Framework for Rhetoric

In response to the unethical practices of the Sophists, Aristotle provided a more ethical framework for rhetoric in his work "The Art of Rhetoric." Aristotle emphasized that effective and ethical persuasion relies on three key components:

Ethos (Character) Establishing credibility and moral character.

Pathos (Emotion) Appealing to the audience’s emotions.

Logos (Logic) Using logical reasoning and evidence.

Ethos (Character)

Ethos refers to the credibility and moral character of the speaker. To persuade an audience effectively, a speaker must establish trust and authority. This includes demonstrating competence, good moral character, and goodwill. In consultancy, this is akin to building a strong reputation and providing advice that is both expert and ethical.

Pathos (Emotion):

Pathos involves appealing to the audience's emotions. Emotional appeals can move an audience and make the argument more compelling. Effective use of pathos requires understanding the audience's values, beliefs, and emotional triggers. For consultants, this means showing empathy, understanding client pain points, and connecting on a human level without exploiting emotions unethically.

Logos (Logic):

Logos refers to logical reasoning and the use of evidence to support an argument. Logical appeals provide the foundation of a persuasive argument, including the use of facts, statistics, examples, and logical reasoning. For consultants, this means backing up recommendations with solid evidence, best practices, and data, ensuring that the advice is not only persuasive but also credible and practical.

Why is is important?

Effective rhetoric is an essential skill for consultants, enabling us to influence decisions and drive change. However, it must be practised ethically, with a commitment to truth and integrity. By balancing ethos, pathos, and logos, we can ensure that our persuasive efforts are both effective and aligned with the best interests of our clients. Remember the lessons of the Sophists and Aristotle: "persuasive power comes with great responsibility". Use it wisely to build trust, foster understanding, and achieve meaningful results.

Reflection

Socratic Method Consider the ways to better understand a person’s perspective and arguments. Delve deeper to reinforce a mutual understanding with the Socratic Method.

Platonic Forms Be inspired by the Form of your designs but be grounded by the Particular. Consider a practical solution delivering incremental value quickly.

Aristotle's Rhetoric Consider the way in which you persuade and be truthful with it. Remember to be mindful of the ethics of your arguments. - The latest 'big thing' might not always be best suited.

What's next?

Reach out to us today to discover how we can collaboratively transform your challenges into opportunities for growth and success. By leveraging more than just the wisdom of ancient philosophies, we can help you navigate complex projects with clarity and purpose. Let's embark on a journey to create practical, impactful solutions that align with your vision and drive meaningful change.