Phronesis is an ancient Greek word associated with good judgement and good character. At its core, it is about the ability to discern how best to act. Practical wisdom involves acting thoughtfully and virtuously and encouraging others to do the same. Stephen Tierney describes virtue, thought and action – which coalesce in effective leadership – as the
Way of Being, Way of Knowing and Way of Doing
. Each of the three Ways consist of a number of elements termed the Basics..
• The Ways of Being: Purpose & Introspection
• The Ways of Knowing: Specialism & Strategy
• The Ways of Doing: Implementation, Networking, Guardianship & Expertise
Structuring the book around these eight Basics, readers will be challenged and supported to explore each of the Basics from a theoretical perspective and then provided with real world examples of how they were applied by Stephen in his own career in educational leadership.
In writing
Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing
, Stephen seeks to help leaders explore their own capabilities and potential. Leadership can be learnt. The three Ways with their constituent Basics represent a mirror to help leaders reflect upon and improve their practice. In turn, current leaders are called upon to accept the responsibility to grow the leaders of the future.