We can learn great lessons in leadership from legends. In honor of St. Patty’s Day, let’s explore the lessons in the legend of Saint Patrick.
His life has much mystery to it, but the stories share a consistent theme. As the stories say, Saint Patrick was a faithful, wise, and kind man who persisted through adversity.
Let’s see what the patron saint of Ireland has to teach us about leadership.
Saint Patrick Banished the Snakes
According to legend, St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland. In actuality, snakes have never been native to Ireland. The legend of Saint Patrick is a story of how he banished the toxic vermin that symbolized amorality. Snakes are a hard thing to find, and they are dangerous when nearby.
Personally, I don’t have any fear of snakes. I’ve encountered a rattlesnake in the wild and it made my heart rate jump, but I made a wide berth around it and all was well. I certainly wouldn’t want to encounter one in my house though.
That’s the problem. Snakes sneak their way into spots where you don’t expect them to hide.
This can happen at work too. I mean, probably not with REAL snakes, unless you work in animal control services.
In public, in your home, and at work, we find people in our lives that slither their way in with toxic potential. Often, we don’t realize their toxicity until you’re already bitten.
Dealing with difficult people is unavoidable, but perhaps it’s worth a moment for a quick assessment here.
Are there any snakes in your house? At work? In the places that you reside often? Have you avoided banishing them for some reason?
Pushing snakes out your door will solve the issue for the moment, but take the lead from St. Patrick! Banish the snakes and eliminate those toxic relationships!
St. Patrick and his Walking Stick
As legend has it, Saint Patrick traveled to Ireland on a pilgrimage with only a walking stick. He would stop in towns along the way to inspire the people with his philosophy, preaching that people follow a life of virtue and avoid habits that harm themselves and their neighbors.
When he saw the town make meaningful change for the better, he would retrieve his walking stick and walk to the next town. His journey stopped When he arrived in Aspatria.
The people of Aspatria would not hear St. Patrick’s words and refused to change their ways. They remained entrenched in their ways, and Saint Patrick refused to leave until they did. He tried various ways to make them change their hearts, then one day he found a way to motivate them to change.
As legend has it, St. Patrick stayed in Aspatria for so long that when it was time he went to retrieve his staff, it had grown into a tree.
It’s a crazy story, but how does this story make me a better leader?
Think about all the times you tried to help someone, but they refused your help. How often did you leave them to their own devices saying, “I’ve done everything I can.”
When you see someone that needs your help, you can and should persist through resistance if it is for the right cause.
If you are going to try to help a person or a group who resists you, you can’t just be persistent. You have to be creative. Find out what you can do to be accepted by the group or individual you are trying to help. That is the key to helping them listen to your advice.
When you persist in helping others, the effort can take years. But, if you’re lucky, you’ll leave them with a tree that will bear fruit for years to come.
Listen To The Your Predecessors
We can’t speak to the truth of these stories, but we know it’s wise to listen to those who have gone before us.
It is easy to get caught up in the latest and greatest book on leadership. After all, the covers look amazing. Those $3000 suits and their million-dollar smiles just suck us in.
These get-rich-quick influencers and lifestyle coaches made millions by borrowing (or stealing) ideas laid out by previous gurus, like St. Patrick.
If you want to learn how to be an effective leader, skip the million-dollar middlemen. Take a chance to get the information straight from the source. Read the classics.
Here are 5 recommendations for the best books for people looking to become better leaders:
How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankel
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Let Loose and Enjoy Your Company!
St. Patrick’s Day has long been an excuse to blow off steam. After being cooped up for the winter, St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to celebrate the change of the seasons!
Considering Covid-19, St. Patrick’s Day for 2021 will likely be a bit more restrained. However, your team needs a party more than ever.
If you are able to gather together for some socially distanced fun, then make it happen!
My wife and I went ax throwing last weekend. It was a blast, plus, it’s easy to socially distance. This is just one idea, but get creative! There are tons of things you and your team can do for some socially distanced fun.
If your team is remote, set up a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration Zoom call. Go all out on the theme. Have everyone prep their own green beer and give toasts to the good things in their lives.
And if you want to add some friendly competition to your remote St. Patrick’s celebration, consider a St. Patrick’s trivia game with us! We have an entire St. Patrick’s themed trivia event to celebrate the season. You deserve to have fun this St. Partick’s Day, and we want to have fun with you.
Whatever you do in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I hope that you will take a minute as a team to remember the good things in your lives. It has been over a year of living in a global pandemic. Everyone can use a reminder.