PLATO AND HIS STUDENT ARISTOTLE DISCUSS LEADERSHIP IN TODAY’S WORLD

Philosopher CEO or Pragmatic Manager? An Experimental Approach to Modern Leadership through Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics

Plato: Aristotle, these modern entities called corporations astound me. CEOs deify profit and treat employees as mere tools. What meaning can leadership hold in this capitalist machine?

Aristotle: Master, leadership is always context-dependent. In today’s cutthroat competition, a CEO must prioritize profit to keep the company afloat. But I argue this: leadership uses profit as a tool to guide employees and society toward a common good. As I wrote in Politics, a virtuous manager strikes this balance. How would your idealistic philosopher-kings fare in this chaotic world?

Plato: A tough question, but let me ask: when profit is central, doesn’t leadership cease to be virtuous and become a pragmatic game? In my Republic, the philosopher-king enlightens society with wisdom. Yet today’s CEOs, like tech giants, amass billions by selling user data. Is this virtuous leadership or unethical opportunism?

Aristotle: You’re right; data scandals push the ethical boundaries of leadership. But I ask: can a purely idealistic CEO survive in today’s world? If you’re a startup manager and competitors unethically try to crush you, what do you do? Could your philosopher-CEO thrive in this cutthroat market, or remain a beautiful theory?

Plato: Survival matters, but not at the cost of leadership’s essence. Let me ask: if a CEO forces employees to work 70-hour weeks, boosting profits while draining their souls, is that leadership? Giants like Amazon mechanize workers for efficiency. How does your “middle path” remedy such exploitation?

Aristotle: That’s one of leadership’s toughest tests. I counter: if your philosopher-CEO educates and motivates workers but gets ousted by shareholders for profit dips, what then? Today’s leadership is an ecosystem—balancing employees, shareholders, customers, and markets. Justice and moderation curb exploitation, but can your ideal leader handle this multifaceted pressure?

Plato: They must, for leadership is a test. But here’s a critical question: in this AI era, if a CEO delegates most decisions to algorithms, does leadership even exist? For instance, if an insurance firm lets algorithms decide policy approvals, where does the leader’s virtue or wisdom come in?

Aristotle: A jarring question. Algorithms can turn leadership into a puppet show. Yet I argue: leadership lies in guiding technology. A CEO must frame algorithms ethically and question their outcomes. But if your philosopher-CEO fails to grasp or resists this tech revolution, how do they lead into the future?

Plato: Not resist, but understand and transform. The real issue is this: today’s leaders wield technology as a weapon for power. Social media CEOs, for instance, manipulate masses with addictive algorithms. How does your virtuous leader tame this power, or do they become part of the game?

Aristotle: Taming power depends on a leader’s will. My virtuous leader uses technology for societal good—like innovation in education or healthcare. But I ask: in global crises like climate change or inequality, is it enough for a CEO to focus solely on their company? How does your philosopher-CEO solve these massive issues, or do they stay in their small world?

Plato: That’s why leadership demands a greater vision. A CEO who doesn’t shift to a carbon-neutral model against climate change has neither virtue nor wisdom. But can your practical leader, under short-term profit pressure, dare such radical change? Wouldn’t a fossil fuel CEO switching to renewables be lynched by shareholders?

Aristotle: Possibly, but leadership is about risk. My leader persuades shareholders with data and long-term gains, proving renewables boost brand value. But can your idealist play this political game, or just pen a moral manifesto and step aside?

Plato: They don’t play games but reveal truth. Most modern leaders get lost in these political games. One last tough question: in a crisis like a pandemic, if a CEO lays off workers to protect profits, is that leadership or cowardice? What does your “middle path” say?

Aristotle: That’s a breaking point. Layoffs may be inevitable, but a virtuous leader explores every alternative—salary cuts, government aid. But if your philosopher-CEO rejects layoffs entirely and the company goes bankrupt, how do they answer to employees?

Plato: If bankruptcy looms, leadership is tested by creativity—perhaps a new business model or a call for societal aid. Sacrificing people for profit kills leadership.

Aristotle: Perhaps leadership is an art blending idealism and pragmatism. Your vision and my balance might unite in today’s chaos.

Plato: Perhaps. But leadership must always pursue truth and goodness, no matter how daunting.

Fuente- Tayfun KANDIRALI

Author’s Note:Plato’s Republic outlines an ideal society and leadership vision, where philosopher-kings, guided by wisdom, ensure justice and the common good. For Plato, leadership is defined by the pursuit of truth and moral excellence; a leader must educate society and transcend personal gain. Aristotle’s Politics offers a more practical approach, viewing leadership as a balance of virtue and pragmatism. A good leader, he argues, analyzes governance forms (monarchy, aristocracy) to guide society toward the common good while delivering realistic, actionable solutions. Plato emphasizes idealism; Aristotle stresses balance and action.