The Warrior and the Sage (Ed Batista)

Warrior-and-Sage

1. Background

One of the most important contributions made by pioneering Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung is the concept of archetypes, which he described as "forms in the psyche which seem to be present always and everywhere... There are as many archetypes as there are typical situations in life... When a situation occurs which corresponds to a given archetype, that archetype becomes activated." [1]

In Jung's framework archetypes constitute the "collective unconscious," which English psychiatrist Anthony Stevens calls "a dynamic substratum, common to all humanity, on the basis of which each individual builds his or her own experience of life, developing a unique array of psychological characteristics. In other words, the archetypes of the collective unconscious [provide] the basic themes of human life on which each individual [works] out his or her own set of variations." [2]

Despite Jung's interest in mysticism and spirituality, we need not view archetypes and the collective unconscious as otherworldly phenomena at odds with modern science. They're more appropriately viewed as instinctive aspects of human psychology that may have an evolutionary basis, similar to such experiences as anxiety and grief. [3] Stevens cites comments by Jung specifying that an archetype "is not meant to to denote an inherited idea, but rather an inherited mode of psychic functioning, corresponding to the inborn way in which the chick emerges from the egg... In other words, it is a 'pattern of behavior.'" [4]

Some of the most intriguing evidence supporting Jung's concept is the recurrence of a set of archetypes in the mythology, folklore and religious traditions of different societies, not only around the world, but also at distant points in time, an idea explored thoroughly in the work of cultural scholar Joseph Campbell. [5] Psychiatrist Stevens notes that these themes and patterns include archetypal events--birth, death, separation from parents, marriage--as well as archetypal motifs--the apocalypse, the deluge, the creation. [6]

One such motif that occurs repeatedly in my work with leaders is "the Hero's Journey," which Campbell calls the "monomyth" because it appears in some form in every culture: A figure leaves home and ventures forth to do battle with powerful forces in the hopes of returning with a great prize. Not surprisingly, this concept resonates deeply with most of the startup founders I've known. [7] And yet another recurring theme in my practice involves what Stevens calls archetypal figures. He cites the examples of mother, father, child, God, trickster, and hero, but the two that appear most consistently in my practice are the Warrior and the Sage.

2. The Warrior and the Sage: Archetypes and Mindsets

We can think of archetypes as stories that help us interpret and navigate the world, and archetypal figures are the recurring characters that populate these stories. Further, an archetypal figure is itself a type of story--a story we tell ourselves about ourselves, a story that allows us to better understand ourselves and to locate ourselves in relation to others and to our circumstances. The archetypal figure provides us with an orientation--a stance from which we can approach a given situation--and a "pattern of behavior" that suits the situation's requirements.

The Warrior is one of the most prominent and potent archetypal figures, as demonstrated by the countless examples in myth and legend. Even if my clients don't consciously think of themselves as "Warriors," most of them have an extensive range of formative experiences and training that have resulted in what I call a "Warrior mindset"--see below. And the archetypal Warrior is by no means just a bare-knuckled brawler--here's one definition from the cross-cultural scholar Angeles Arrien:

The Warrior is the archetype of leadership. We come into our leadership skills by staying in our power, by showing up and choosing to be present, by extending honor and respect, and by being responsible and accountable. [8]

The Sage isn't merely a teacher, but a figure who has attained wisdom, strives to live in accordance with virtuous principles, and guides others in the process of doing the same. My clients would undoubtedly resist being called "Sages" for fear of sounding self-aggrandizing, and yet much of my work with them involves cultivating aspects of the "Sage mindset" below. And while I prefer the term "sage," derived from the Latin sapere, "to discern," there's clearly a close relationship with the role of teacher, as noted in Arrien's definition of the latter:

When we express the Teacher, we develop our capacities for detachment; we honor our heritage; we become flexible and fluid...and we demonstrate wisdom and its components of clarity, objectivity, and discernment. [9]

In my practice I've observed a set of attitudes that leaders display while enacting these roles--what I've come to consider the Warrior and Sage mindsets:

As a Warrior...		As a Sage...
My purpose is overcoming resistance. Life is a series of battles, and the most important are zero-sum struggles that must be won.		My purpose is learning and helping others learn. Life is a series of mysteries, and the most important can't be solved but must be studied.
My world is a battleground, an athletic field, a negotiating table. It's also, at intervals, a victory party, a hospital, a funeral.		My world is a classroom, a laboratory, a carnival. It's never just one of these things, and sometimes it's all of them at once.
I view others as fellow combatants. Some are allies, some are opponents, and sometimes they switch sides, which I must bear in mind.		I view others with curiosity, because I don't know who they really are. Even if they're my students, they may also be my teachers.
I view myself with rigor. I know my strengths and maximize their advantages. I know my weaknesses and keep them hidden.		I view myself with amusement. I've learned enough to realize how little I know, and I discover my wisdom when I embrace my ignorance.
My thoughts and feelings fuel my dedication. I maintain an open mind, but also strive to convey my passion and conviction.		My thoughts and feelings come and go, as thoughts and feelings do. I acknowledge their influence while holding them lightly.
My goals are of paramount importance, in part because others are depending on me to achieve them. I'm committed to success.		My goals are flexible, because I know I already have what I really need. I'm committed to a process without being attached to a given outcome.

3. From Warrior to Sage

In addition to observing these respective mindsets in many leaders, I've also seen a pattern emerge over time: The Warrior mindset becomes less useful as leaders grow more senior, and the Sage mindset becomes increasingly important. The leader who remains limited to the Warrior archetype without adding the Sage to their repertoire grows less and less effective. This doesn't mean that the Warrior mindset becomes useless--we all have to know how to fight. [10] But it's essential to anticipate this transition.

To be clear, while the Warrior and the Sage are distinct identities, they're by no means mutually exclusive. The goal is to be able to adopt the mindset that best fits the needs of the situation, which entails broadening one's skills as a leader and being able to move fluidly from one mindset to another. And while in my experience most leaders begin as Warriors and must grow into the Sage mindset over time, that's not the case for everyone--the Warrior mindset must also be cultivated.

But training as a Warrior is readily available, largely because many institutions find it advantageous to have a supply of Warriors on hand. Training as a Sage is hard to come by--and yet simply committing to a practice of regular reflection may be all we need in order to learn from experience. In that context, here are some specific areas to focus on:

Self-Awareness

Emotion Regulation

Power Dynamics

Leadership Style

4. A Personal Note

While my comments here are derived from my work with many leaders over the years, they're also informed by my personal growth and development. As a younger man I faced the world primarily as a Warrior--often a hapless one, but a Warrior all the same. As I grew older I came to realize not only that this way of being was inadequate in helping me achieve my goals, but also that the process of aging would inevitably render me less effective if I continued to rely solely upon this approach--and that I was missing an opportunity to take advantage of what I had gained along the way: perspective, discernment, gratitude. [11]

I certainly don't consider myself a Sage, nor can I maintain that mindset permanently, but I get there from time to time. And as I acknowledge the costs of growing older, I find some consolation in my ability to embrace and occupy that identity, albeit on a temporary basis. As I wrote a few years ago, "Today I'm weaker, more frail, slower to heal. I'm also wiser, kinder, braver. It's not lost on me that as my animal self has deteriorated I've become a much better human being." [12]

That doesn't preclude me from adopting a Warrior mindset when necessary--but that's a choice, not a reflex. And as time goes on I find that mindset not only less useful, but also less relevant. Sometimes it does feel important to win--but increasingly I find that when I really step back and think about it, I already have what I really need.

Footnotes

[1] Carl Jung, The Concept of the Collective Unconscious. A Lecture Delivered before the Analytical Psychology Club of New York City, October 2, 1936 (pages 42-48 in The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious (Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Volume 9, Part 1), Second Edition, 1981). Jung didn't originate the concept of archetypes, and he readily acknowledged its historical origins in the works of Plato, among others, as well as contemporary parallels in anthropology and religious studies. That said, Jung's influence in this area has been substantial, and any discussion of the concept today owes a debt to his thinking.

[2] Anthony Stevens, "The Archetypes," page 75 (Chapter 3 in The Handbook of Jungian Psychology: Theory, Practice and Applications, Renos Papadopoulos, editor, 2006)

[3] For more on the influence of natural selection on emotional experience, see Good Reasons for Bad Feelings: Insights from the Frontier of Evolutionary Psychiatry (Randolph Nesse, 2020).

[4] Stevens, page 77.

[5] For a thorough discussion of the recurring themes and patterns in mythology, folklore and religious traditions, see The Hero with a Thousand Faces (Joseph Campbell, New World Library, Third Edition, 2008).

[6] Stevens, page 84.

[7] The Hero's Journey in Everyday Life

[8] The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of the Warrior, Teacher, Healer, and Visionary, page 40 (Angeles Arrien, 1993)

[9] Ibid, page 126.

[10] The Value of a Good Fight

[11] Gratitude Checklist

[12] Time and Tradition

For Further Reading

Adventure, Tragedy, Comedy

Photos: Sword by Auckland Museum. Brush and ink by Theen Moy.