Clemency in Context: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders

“There’s no need to build up lofty citadels or fortify steep hills […] to wall oneself in with a series of towers and bulwarks: clemency guarantees that taking will be safe out in the open. The love of his citizens is his one impregnable fortification.” 

In this installment of our series, we went further back in history to the time of 55-56 AD to explore De Clementia. This text written by Seneca was the first of its kind; no Roman had written about clemency before, and no Greek could have because no word or concept corresponds to it in Greek. Clemency is broadly defined as being merciful, moderate, compassionate or forgiving. These are all qualities that many of us seek in our leaders today. 

As you can imagine, clemency was not a common notion in the Roman Empire. Instead, displays of power and strength were the drivers of an emperor’s—and an empire’s—success. Seneca’s writing comes in striking contrast with the cruelty of Claudius’ reign. He writes, “The ignorant suppose that strictness is clemency’s opposite, but no virtue is the opposite of any other. What, then, is the opposite of clemency? Cruelty, which is nothing other than a harshness of mind in exacting punishment.” Seneca goes on to note that a calm, clear and controlled mind is an anchor for clemency, enabling mildness, humanity, greatness of spirit, fortitude and fairness. 

In advocating for clemency, Seneca may have been planting the early seeds of psychological safety in De Clementia. Leaders play an essential role in establishing psychological safety in teams. How they show up, how their teams experience them and how they handle conflict all contribute to how safe an environment can feel. 

“The clement man will nurture every element of the commonwealth as though it were part of himself. Inclined to the gentler course, showing, even when punishment is called for, how unwillingly he has recourse to that harsh remedy, he knows no wild or hostile thoughts but exercises his power calmly and for the good, desiring that his fellow citizens approve his commands. He thinks himself fortunate beyond measure if he succeeds in making his good fortune the common possession of all: affable, approachable, and amiable in his expression […], favorable inclined to reasonable requests, not yet harshly opposed even to the unreasonable, he is loved, defended, and cherished by the entire community.”

Clemency is not just right, but also expedient and conducive for better results in organizations. Psychological safety, a term coined by Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson, creates an environment where individuals feel safe to experiment, speak up, and seek help with no fear of revenge: “Clemency is the mind’s moderation when it has the power to take revenge” (2.3.1) In this type of environment, their ability to learn increases exponentially. In a recent podcast interview with Egon Zehnder consultant Glenn Zweig, Edmondson shared that without a psychologically safe environment, there is no room for failure – therefore no room for learning.

“People speak of him in private as they do to his face. […] Made safe by his own kindness, this prince needs no guards […].”

This ancient wisdom is still highly relevant for today’s leaders. Let’s reflect on the following questions:

• In which situations with your teams do you fall back on control (fear-motivated) versus giving license to fail (clemency-motivated)? 
• How can you integrate clemency into your leadership style? What would be the consequence for your team? 
• How can you help your team embrace a journey to become more aware of their dynamics and make your organization fearless? 

Do these questions resonate with you? Which ones strike a major chord? Is there a book you’d like to see discussed in this series? Connect with me on LinkedIn to share.
 

Passages from: Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Anger, Mercy, Revenge, The University of Chicago Press - translated from Latin by Robert A. Kastrer and Martha C. Nussbaum

Passages:1.19.6, 2.4.1, 1.13.3, 2.3.1, 1.13.5