In a world full of data, reports and presentations, popular wisdom reminds us of something simple: often, the deepest truths lie in a few well-chosen words.
Proverbs, idioms and sayings handed down through generations are little capsules of experience. They arise from everyday life, from the countryside and cities, from families and shops. They recount the mistakes, successes, fears and hopes of those who came before us.
“Popular wisdom” explores how these seemingly simple phrases can guide today’s choices: in work, relationships and leadership.
Each proverb is a different lens through which to observe responsibility, prudence, courage and collaboration.
Behind a colourful saying often lies a whole manual of risk management, operational common sense and respect for others.
This section brings yesterday’s sayings into dialogue with today’s challenges: from time management to trust in the team, from haste to difficult decisions. It shows how the wisdom of grandmothers and old masters can still illuminate meetings, negotiations and strategic choices.
As you read these quotes, let yourself be provoked by their simplicity.
What are they suggesting, in concrete terms, for the way you lead, collaborate and make decisions?
Let popular wisdom become a practical compass: a few clear and direct words to remind us where we really want to go.
My wife often says that I am not a victim, even if at times I may appear to be one.
She does not say it to comfort me, but to remind me that the real difference is not in what happens to me, but in how I respond.
In Sicily, there is a saying: “Cu è forti, nun si scantau mai di nenti.”
Literally: “The strong have never been afraid of anything.”
It means that strength is not the absence of blows, but the ability to remain steady when they come.
What is a winner?
A maker of losers.
Every victory breaks a balance: there is always someone who lifts the trophy and someone left empty-handed. Winning is never a neutral act, for it defines both who triumphs and who falls.
But to reduce a winner to this alone is too narrow.
The true winner is not merely the one who collects successes, but the one who turns losers into respected opponents, not humiliated enemies.
In the earliest societies, power belonged to the wisest.
A Sicilian proverb recalls it well: “Cu’ havi cchiù sali conza la minestra.”
He who has more salt — that is, more judgement — seasons the soup, and thus leads and governs others.
And yet, unlike in the animal world, where no herd ever follows the most foolish, the most cruel or the most inept, among humans this paradox occurs — and frequently so. Why?
“Quantu vali un lagnuso penseruso, mancu un massaru spensierato.”
This Sicilian proverb reminds us that “a lazy man who thinks is worth more than a carefree steward.”
The contrast is clear: a slow mover who reflects adds more value than a tireless worker who acts without planning or critical sense.
Thought prevents waste; blind effort multiplies errors.
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”
— Shakespeare
In Sicily we have a saying:
“U scantatu mori ogni jornu, u curaggiusu na vota sula.”
The fearful die every day, the courageous only once.
Sir, let me explain.
I have divided humanity into two categories: men and “caporali” (literally, corporals).
Men form the majority; the “caporali,” fortunately, are the minority.
Men are those who work all their lives like beasts, never seeing a ray of sunshine, without the slightest satisfaction, living in the grey shadow of a wretched existence.
The “caporali” are those who exploit, tyrannise, mistreat, and humiliate. Driven by greed, they always float to the top, often without authority, skill, or intelligence—only the boldness of their brazen faces and their arrogance, ready to harass the ordinary man.
So, Sir, do you understand?
“Caporali” are born, not made. Whatever their class or nationality, they share the same face, the same expressions, the same manners, and the same way of thinking.
He who eats in vain wastes both time and stomach.
(Sicilian proverb)
“Cu mancia ammatula, perdi tempu e panza”
Everything has its own time — and wisdom lies in respecting it.
In leadership as in cooking, rushing what is not ready is like harvesting fruit before it is ripe: you lose the sweetness that only patience can give.
Timing is everything, and food is no exception.
Projects, people, and negotiations all have their natural pace.
“Addivare fa l’amuri”
(Raising a child creates love)
This Sicilian proverb, as simple as it is profound, reminds us that true love is born from care, consistency, and responsibility.
It is not about idealised, romantic, or instinctive affection, but about a bond built over time — through presence, sacrifice, and commitment.
Those who raise a child — whether a parent, grandparent, uncle, or simply a constant figure — create a connection that goes beyond blood.
“Si a ogni cani c’abbaia ci tiri na petra, non t’arrestanu vrazza.”
If you throw a stone at every barking dog, you will soon run out of arms.
(Sicilian proverb)
You are not bitter — simply more selective.
Where once you tolerated out of courtesy, now you choose more carefully where to stop.
Not out of fatigue, but out of leadership.
A true leader cannot be distracted by every noise. The world barks — in meetings, in emails, on every platform.
But if you answer everything, you lose clarity, focus, and energy.
“A minchia un voli penseri” — the penis does not want worries — is a crude Sicilian proverb that captures something undeniably human: the instinct to seek pleasure, ease, and freedom from responsibility, while dodging the discomfort of failure or reflection.
It points to a male-coded impulse — but one not limited to men — to pursue gratification without consequence, status without struggle, and power without the burden of accountability.
“Persi lu sceccu cu tutti i carrubbi!”
Sicilian proverb:
I lost the donkey along with the whole load of carobs!
This sharp and rather bitter proverb captures the disappointment of a deal gone wrong. The saying is used when one expects to profit from a situation but ends up losing everything: not only the donkey (the means), but also the valuable goods it was carrying (the carobs).
Sicilian proverb:
“Ti manciasti u sceccu e ti confunni p’a cuda?”
(You ate the donkey and now you are embarrassed by the tail?)
This saying captures a classic leadership misstep: making a bold decision, then hesitating over something trivial.
“Difficillimum esse furari apud furem.”
È difficilissimo rubare in casa di un ladro.
(Proverbio latino)
Il proverbio racchiude una lezione semplice ma tagliente: non cercare di ingannare chi dell’inganno ha fatto un’arte: chi vive di inganni, sa riconoscerli meglio di chiunque altro.
“Many enemies, much honour”
This phrase was made famous in Italy by Benito Mussolini, head of the Italian Fascist regime before WWII.
He used it as a slogan for the regime to turn opposition into a badge of pride.
It is a phrase that still fascinates, especially in environments where leadership is seen as dominance, conflict, and conquest.
“Cu sapi caminari, si fa l’ura ca voli.”
He who knows how to walk, makes time work for him
(Sicilian proverb)
There comes a point — in leadership, and in life — when the clock no longer dictates your worth.
Punctuality, once treated as a badge of discipline, reveals itself for what it often is: a tool, not a virtue. A great leader knows that arriving “on time” is not about minutes. It is about momentum, intention, and the clarity of purpose brought into the room.
“Cu sapi cumannari, sapi puru ubbidiri.”
He who knows how to lead, must also know how to follow.
This Sicilian proverb is not about weakness, but about wisdom.
True leadership is not about control — it is about discernment.
The best executives do not pretend to know everything. They listen.
“Vali chiu un colpu di mastru, chi dui di manuali.”
(“One strike from a master is worth more than two from a workman.”)
This Sicilian proverb distils into a single line a profound truth: efficiency is not about laziness — it is about mastery.
A single, well-judged action from someone who knows their craft often proves more effective than repeated efforts by someone less skilled. The aim is not simply to do less, but to achieve more with less.
“Cu mangia fa muddichi.”
He who eats makes crumbs, says a Sicilian proverb.
This is not about being the cleverest in the room.
It is about creating a system where speed, experimentation, and continuous learning are at the core.
Progress is rarely clean.
But mess means movement, and the real question is: how fast can you and your team learn, adapt, and evolve—faster than your competitors?
The door that draws no knocks soon loses its shine
(Tinta la porta a cui ‘un tuppulìa nuddu)
(Sicilian proverb)
“We are not alone in the universe: they are deliberately avoiding us.”
(A tongue-in-cheek take on the so-called Fermi Paradox)
The phrase is provocative, ironic — and, in a way, deeply human.
The Sicilian proverb amplifies its meaning with a flash of folk wisdom that is as brutal as it is truthful.
“Cu ‘un fa nenti ‘un sbaglia nenti.”
(Sicilian proverb)
He who does nothing makes no mistakes.
But he does not win, either.
“We did not make any obvious mistakes, and yet, somehow, we lost.”
(Stephen Elop, CEO of Nokia, during the 2013 press conference announcing Nokia’s cellular division acquisition by Microsoft)
This is, in essence, the story of Nokia — once a global emblem of reliability, innovation and leadership.
A respected company, with no major missteps.
And yet, the world was racing forward.
And they stood still.