Shakespeare, arguably the most celebrated writer who ever lived, died on April 23 in 1616. World Book Day is held on this date to recognize the passing of the Bard, as well as the death of Miguel de Cervantes and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, two titans of Spanish-language literature, on exactly the same date. The work of England’s revered wordsmith both captured the spirit of his time – presenting blood, bawdiness, passion and politics to packed-out Elizabethan playhouses – and echoed down through the centuries. His writing has been translated into more than 100 languages, while the words he coined in English – from addiction to negotiate – still shape the way we think and speak today. So what can this most timeless of writers tell us about a distinctly modern obsession: leadership? The easiest conclusion to draw from his plays is quite simply to avoid being a leader at all costs. Shakespeare’s tragedies followed the classical Greek structure of “hamartia,” in which a great man is undone by a fatal flaw. This does not make for encouraging fare for those who seek a path to the top unimpeded by madness, misery, witches or suicide. What’s more, one of the definitions of poetry is ambiguity: you don’t go to Shakespeare for clear-cut advice on how to live, but immersion in how to feel. All of this means that it is tricky to extract leadership guidance from Shakespeare. Tricky, but tempting: No one described the human condition – with all its greatness and foibles – quite like Shakespeare. And so with due trepidation, here are some leadership lessons from the hallowed pages of Shakespeare’s plays.1. Don’t be ambitious without being moral. You want to be CEO? Great. Just don’t murder the incumbent, lose your mind and start a small war in the process. Macbeth is a parable on what happens when a man’s ambition outstrips his better instincts. In this soliloquy, the nobleman Macbeth wrestles with his conscience as he ponders whether to kill the king, Duncan, and seize the throne for himself:Sadly, “vaulting ambition” – not to mention some shameless strong-arming from his wife – won the day, and it didn’t end well for Macbeth.2. Don’t procrastinate. Oh Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Young, spirited, influential, in love, and totally incapable of making a decision. If you’re facing a high-pressure dilemma – do you quit your job to start your own company, do you listen to the ghost and kill your uncle to avenge your father’s death – the temptation to dither is understandable. But inaction can be toxic, as Hamlet found to his cost. Convinced that his mother has married his father’s murderer, here he is wondering whether it’s even worth staying alive to deal with the omnishambles:His ponderous response to the phantom’s revelation ultimately led to the suspected suicide of his sweetheart Ophelia and a comprehensive bout of untimely death at the Danish court.3. Watch out for yes men – and women.


All data is taken from the source: [ Ссылка ]
Article Link: [ Ссылка ]


#shakespeare #newsweather #newsworldfox #newsworldnow #newstodayfox #bbcworldnewstoday #

свернуть