Leadership Legacy

7Earth Time Versus Ego Time

‘Agwo na-ata anu anaghi eti mkpu’

(‘The snake that eats meat doesn't shout/True power works quietly and patiently’)

(Igbo proverb, southeastern Nigeria. Used with respect and acknowledgement of the Igbo people as knowledge holders, indigenous to the southeast region of Nigeria, including Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States)

In Igbo folklore, of my father's heritage, the snake embodies stealth, patience, and power. Unlike other animals that announce their discoveries with noise, the snake hunts silently and methodically. This behaviour captures the essence of true strength and wisdom, highlighting an often unrecognised power. Elders often called upon this wisdom to caution against egoic action or to praise those who embody practical humility. Both ego and humility co-exist; both are valid, pitting them against each other causes more fragmentation and perpetuates the paradox of leadership as discussed in Chapter 5.

The more I explored the contradictions of leadership, especially in the today’s tech dominated and divisive world the more I became interested in discovering what other patterns emerge when I continue to scratch the surface. Curiously, the relationship between humility, the ego, and our relationship with time presents a loose thread worth following.

Conventional wisdom suggests humility is essential for gaining respect, accolades, and winning leadership awards, even peace prizes. It's not that there is anything wrong with awards; ...