Manila, 3 February 2021 — Do you live up to your potential?

Story

It happened in 1466 C.E. in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Born an illegitimate child and orphaned when his parents died from the plague, Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus would nevertheless grow up to become a great intellectual and a humanist scholar of universal renown. Trusted by kings and a tutor to princes, he would proclaim himself to be a citizen of the world. “The entire world is my temple,” he wrote, and his words would influence beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors of rulers and ordinary citizens alike. Yet, tragically, he would also see Europe slide down into turmoil from the reformation that split the church into Protestants and Catholics. Millions would die during a century when extreme views and bloody conflict triumphed over dialogue, understanding, and tolerance.

Two thousand years before Erasmus, China experienced a period of similar (un)civil war when its empire fell into decline, giving rise to the disastrous Warring States period. During that time, several sages roamed the conflict-ridden states to point their leaders and citizens to a better Way, much like Erasmus would do in Europe. Two of these philosophers would also become known as citizens of the world: Kongzi (known in the West as Confucius), and Laozi. 

Just as Erasmus could not prevent a period of war and disaster in Europe, neither could Kongzi and Laozi save peace and prosperity in ancient China. Yet the words of wisdom, education, and philosophy of these three philosophers kept spreading until they influenced people all around the world for good, including many today. The European Union’s renowned exchange program for students bears Erasmus’ name and his books are still sold, read, and translated. The same is true for the works of Kongzi and Laozi, with the Daodejing (Classic of the Way and Virtue) among the most translated books in history.

Challenge

Today our world is, again, threatened by conflicts that are driven by extreme views, and by narrow-mindedness and ignorance in the echo chambers of our social media. What can Erasmus and the sages Kongzi and Laozi teach us for leading positive change in our world today? Well, a lot, in my view. To get you started, let me boil it down to three points. The first is about Finding the Way. All three sages outlined a Way that’s worth aligning your life to with all your effort. While they spoke of living in faith and virtue, today we might call it living with integrity and purpose.

The second is about Enabling Others. Their lives and messages were devoted to learning across borders and enabling others to discover how to live a better life, both individually and collectively. They pointed out how to make a difference in families, communities, and societies. In today’s language, we can say that they taught, mentored, and coached clients from different ages and backgrounds, from rulers on thrones to farmers in the field. The keener their learners were, the more attention they would invest in helping them.

The third is about Traveling Together. The Way they taught was one to be traveled together with others, with learning, dialogue, and moderation. Their guidance was to avoid extremes. You could call it the Middle Way. And while seeking to influence changes for the better, they counseled their followers to avoid longing for positions of authority. To remain an independent scholar, Erasmus walked his talk when he rejected high positions offered to him when the Reformation conflict broke out. His Way for life was about a journey, not a destination with position and titles. All three sages advised their clients and students to carry out their roles in a way that would build prosperity and peace while doing everything possible to avoid conflict and war.

Question

As we again face the consequences of extremism and intolerance in our time of unprecedented global challenges, populism, conspiracy theories, and competing bigotries, what inspiration do you find in the stories of Erasmus, Kongzi, and Laozi, and in the challenges they took up? And what does that inspiration lead you to do?

It’s only a few hundred years ago that people in the West first learned about Kongzi’s Analects from its translation into Dutch in 1675 and then into Latin 12 years later. Another hundred years would pass before they could read Laozi’s Daodejing in its first Latin translation in 1788. That is more than two thousand years after they were written, and centuries after Erasmus’ death in 1536. Today, however, technology gives you the resources to become a global citizen leader in ways that were unimaginable before. Even so, it’s the learning, the message, and the dialogue that matter most. In that context, do you give what it takes?

What is your message as a leader about what it means to be human and live up to your potential? How are you transforming yourself as you walk on that Way? And who are you teaching, training, mentoring, or coaching to bring out the best in them, like Erasmus, Kongzi, and Laozi chose to do?