“Phronesis is a creative act, especially when navigating the unknown…It’s not just what happens when we’re faced with dilemmas, paradoxes, and crucible moments. Of course, that’s where our strength of character shines and guides our action choices, which is why we mark it as an act of practical wisdom.”
— Dr. Elena Antonacopoulou
I’ve known Scott Allen for some time now. Actually, I knew of him long before I met him when his wife asked if I could paint a small painting for him that she could give to him on completing his doctorate. In the years after, we have stayed in touch and have met a couple of times. Always an enjoyable experience as Scott is a great guy, very well-rounded with a wide range of interest and plenty of insights.
But more than that, Scott is really good at what he does. Here’s a bit from his website:
Dr. Scott J. Allen is a speaker, academic, author, and podcaster who empowers people and organizations to build stellar leaders.
Scott J. Allen, Ph.D., is an award-winning educator passionate about working with people at all levels and across industries. He serves as an instructor in SMU’s Cox School of Business Executive Education and spent more than 17 years as a professor of management. He also serves as a leadership consultant with Winding River Consulting. His areas of expertise include leader development, the future of work, and executive communication.
Scott has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He is the co-author of The Little Book of Leadership Development: 50 Ways to Bring Out the Leader in Every Employee, Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide for College Students, and the textbook Discovering Leadership: Designing Your Success (2023). Scott’s most recent publication is Captovation: Online Presentations by Design.
Beyond those impressive credentials, Scott also has a popular podcast that deals with leadership titled Phronesis, which is in the top 2.5% of all podcasts worldwide. Phronesis is a term describing how knowledge and wisdom is put into practical use. It goes all the way back to Aristotle who described it as such:
Phronesis… involves not only the ability to decide how to achieve a certain end, but also the ability to reflect upon and determine good ends consistent with the aim of living well overall.
Coincidentally, I used this quote and the word phronesis for a painting many years ago.
A couple of months back, Scott asked me to be interviewed for his Phronesis podcast. I wasn’t sure why since I don’t consider myself a leader in any way, especially from a business or organizational perspective. It’s easy to be a leader when you’re a one-man show.
In fact, I was a little apprehensive. It’s that impostor syndrome thing, where I will somehow finally reveal how unworthy and addle-brained I am. I often feel that when standing in front of group at gallery talk where I look out and know that I am most likely the least educated person there. I sometimes wonder how I tricked all those folks into sitting there listening to my blathering and if this will be the day when I finally show my inadequacy.
Of course, I agreed to do the interview with Scott. One of the great advantages of not being well educated is that I don’t know what to fear. It’s almost a form of courage. You might call it stupid courage. I’ve employed it a lot in my life. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t.
Scott was a pleasure to work with– knowledgeable, well-prepared, gracious, and forgiving. A real pro. He said he could edit out my occasional stumbles and the uhs and umms that sometimes fell out my mouth. I left feeling a little apprehensive, of course. I don’t think I’ve ever done an interview when I didn’t come away feeling like a moron in some way.
But even so, it came out better than I had expected, to be honest with you. Scott did a masterful job of making me seem reasonably coherent. Of course, I might be wrong there. But I think it touches on a lot of different things some of which I will discuss here over the coming days.
If you so inclined, you can listen here below or can go to Scott’s Phronesis site where you can listen to this episode or some of the many other interesting interviews he has conducted with a wide range of people. You can also subscribe to his podcast there. Lots of good stuff!
Thank you, Scott, for doing such a fine job with this and for your support and friendship through the years. It is very much appreciated. All good things to you and your family!
Redtree Times 