How to use stoicism principles for managing change

1. How to use
Stoicism
principles for
managing
change
Presented by Jishi (Luna) Zheng

2. Agenda
• What is Stoicism
• How it relates to change
• Use Stoicism in managing
change
• Remove factors that can lead to
failure
• Increase factors that can lead to
success

3. What is Stoicism

4. What is Stoicism
• One of a school of Greek philosophers
• One who practices repression of emotion, indifference to
pleasure or pain, and patient endurance
Source: Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

5. What is Stoicism
• Everything around us operates
according to a web of cause and
effect
• “We may not have control over the
events, but we have a control over
how we approach things” (Massimo
Pigliucci)

6. 12 practices that help you to be stoic
1. Examine impressions
2. Remind yourself of the impermanence of things: change is everywhere
3. Reverse clause: understand what is in our control
4. Practice virtue: thinking how can I use virtue here and now
5. Pause and take a breath
6. Other-ise
7. Speak little and well
8. Choose your company well
9. Respond to insults with humor
10. Don’t speak too much about yourself
11. Speak without judging
12. Reflect on your day

7. How it relate to
change?

8. How it relate to change?
Formula of change:
Internal weakness/strength + External threats/opportunities
+Readiness=
Intended result & Unintended result

9. Use Stoicism in
managing change

10. Remove factors that can lead to failure
Reasons why people & organization
failed to change
(Campbell Macpherson)
1. Fear for failure
2. Fear of the unknown
3. Fear of blame
Solutions
1.Other-ise the possibility of
failure
2.Focus on the process
3.Examine your impression

11. Increase factors that can lead to success
Necessary ingredient for a successful change:
1. A change process that includes a pause to reflection
2. Readiness (mental)
3. Prepare for unintended result

12. Thank you!