What can leaders learn from Socrates?

Socrates was a gadfly, a persistent questioner who roamed Athens engaging people in conversations and challenging their beliefs. His inquiries often focused on examining the assumptions underlying deeply held convictions.

Using a gentle and gradual approach, he probed carefully, exposing contradictions in reasoning. This technique, known as the Socratic method, became a cornerstone of critical inquiry. While Socrates himself did not write any books, his student Plato documented his philosophy in a series of dialogues.

The most profound lesson of Socrates’ life, however, came at its end. His constant questioning provoked the ire of those who championed dogma, blind beliefs, and intellectual complacency. Meletus, a poet; Anytus, a politician; and Lycon, an orator, accused him of corrupting the youth with his ideas and brought him to trial before an Athenian jury.

A jury of 500 citizens heard the prosecution and allowed Socrates only a few minutes to defend himself. His conviction was almost inevitable, and he was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock.

Socrates could have avoided execution by pleading guilty, but he refused. To him, truth was a sacred value—one discovered through proper reasoning, not the opinion of the majority. His death became a pivotal moment in the history of humanity’s pursuit of truth and conviction.

Shortly after his execution, the Athenians realized their mistake, and some accounts suggest the accusers faced public retribution.

Socrates’ life and death teach us the enduring value of truth and reason. He demonstrated that, even in the face of immense challenges, one can stand firm on the principles of integrity and rational inquiry rather than succumbing to convenience or conformity.