Don’t Fiddle While Rome Burns

Ancient Rome was the scene of the Great Fire, in the year 64 AD. From this event, we are given the image and the age-old phrase of the Emperor, Nero, playing the fiddle while Rome itself was on fire. Hence, “Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned.” What we get is an image of a leader detached from his people’s suffering. He is more focused on personal indulgence than on governance. To understand this often-uttered phrase, we need to look at the Empire of Rome and its leadership during that period.

Nero became emperor of Rome in 54 A.D., at the age of sixteen. He succeeded his stepfather, Emperor Claudius. Nero’s reign was guided by capable advisors like Seneca, the philosopher, and Burrus, the head of the Praetorian Guard. These early years were marked by stability and reasonable governance. As Nero grew older, his thirst for power and artistic ambitions overshadowed his responsibilities as a ruler.

Nero was not a conventional emperor. He fancied himself to be a great artist and performer. He dedicated much of his time to music, theater, and poetry. This self-indulgence alienated him from Rome’s elite. They considered such pursuits beneath the dignity of an emperor. Nonetheless, Nero’s artistic passion would play a role in the enduring myth of him fiddling during the Great Fire. The Great Fire, which began on the night of July 18, in 64 A.D., and burned for six days.

It began in the crowded and chaotic streets of the city. Fueled by tightly packed wooden structures, the fire spread and spread quick. It consumed vast portions of Rome over six days. The cause of the fire remains uncertain. Some theories suggest an accident, such as an errant spark in a crowded area. Others claim that Nero himself may have ordered the fire to clear space for his grand architectural plans. This accusation likely stemmed from political rivalries and resentment.

Under the umbrella of “never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” we know that Nero did not actually fiddle while Rome burned. For one, the fiddle, or violin, did not exist in ancient Rome. Instead, Nero was known to play the cithara, a type of lyre. During the fire, Nero was not in the city but at his palace in Antium, about 35 miles from Rome. Upon learning of the disaster, Nero reportedly returned to Rome and took measures to assist the displaced population.

He opened his gardens to shelter the homeless. He arranged for food supplies to be distributed. Despite these efforts, rumors persisted that Nero had performed music while watching the city burn. Some accounts suggest he sang about the destruction of Troy. It was as if he were drawing a parallel between that ancient tragedy and the fire in Rome. Whether true or not, it paints this this image of Nero, as a detached and self-indulgent ruler. This story gained traction, solidifying his reputation in history.

To divert suspicion from himself, Nero sought scapegoats for the fire. He targeted the Christians. They were a minority religious group viewed with suspicion by many Romans. Christians were accused of arson and subjected to brutal punishments. This included crucifixion and being burned alive. His decision to blame an innocent group only reinforced the image of him as a tyrant who prioritized self-preservation over truth.

The story of Nero fiddling while Rome burned has endured for centuries, but historians continue to debate its accuracy. Modern historians acknowledge that Nero’s actions during the fire were controversial. But the image of him playing music amid the flames is likely an exaggeration. It is more plausible that his artistic inclinations and public performances created this perception. It painted him as a ruler out of touch with reality.

Nero’s reign ended in 68 A.D. when he faced widespread rebellion and was declared an enemy of the state by the Senate. Facing capture, Nero chose to take his own life. Nero fiddled while Rome burned has since become a metaphor for those who neglect their duties during a crisis. While the historical accuracy of the claim is dubious, its symbolic power remains strong. This serves as a cautionary tale. About the consequences of self-indulgence, poor leadership, and the manipulation of perception.

While historians debate whether this story is literally true, the message it carries is powerful. That message is that ignoring urgent problems while wasting time on less important things leads to disaster. Sellers are often guilty of the same mistake. We could focus on actions that drive revenue and build relationships. Or we waste time on tasks that feel productive but deliver very little. Like Nero, we fiddle while our opportunities burn.

Time is one of the most valuable resources. Every minute spent on low-value tasks is a minute stolen from prospecting. It is stolen from building trust. It is stolen from time spent closing deals. Yet research shows that sellers spend shockingly little time on actual selling activities. A study by Salesforce found that most professional seller spend only 34% of our time selling. The rest of our time is taken up by administrative work. Or it is taken up by internal meetings. Or it is taken up by other distractions. When the majority of your day is spent on things that don’t move deals forward, it is no wonder so many pipelines dry up. It is like standing in the middle of a burning city and deciding it is a good time to practice your violin.

The temptation to stay busy rather than effective is very strong. Psychologists call this “busy work.” It tricks the brain into feeling productive without being productive. Peter Drucker once said, “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently what should not be done at all.” Sellers today often find themselves cleaning up CRM notes. They are reorganizing email folders. Or endlessly researching prospects instead of picking up the phone. These activities feel safer. They are more comfortable than facing the rejection and discomfort that comes with real selling. But because something feels safe does not mean it is smart.

There is also a cultural problem inside many companies. Managers often measure activities instead of outcomes. If a seller turns in perfectly filled-out reports and attends every internal meeting, they may look busy enough to stay out of trouble. Even if they aren’t bringing in business. This breeds a culture where fiddling is rewarded, and results are ignored. As Stephen Covey put it, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.” Sellers must stop confusing being busy with being effective. Activity for the sake of activity only makes the fire spread faster.

The reality is that only a few activities truly move the needle. Prospecting. Discovery. Presenting solutions. And asking for the business are the drivers of success. Everything else is secondary. According to HubSpot’s 2024 Sales Report, 72% of top-performing salespeople say their success came from consistently spending time on prospecting activities. That is even when they didn’t feel like it. The average seller, however, spends less than an hour a day on prospecting. That is the modern equivalent of fiddling while Rome burns. Ignoring the one thing that could save the day in favor of distractions.

Even when working, many are working on the wrong deals. We pour time and energy into prospects who are not qualified, who have no real need, no money, or urgency. We chase “maybe” deals instead of moving on to better opportunities. As sales expert Anthony Iannarino once said, “The opposite of yes is not no; it’s maybe.” Every minute spent chasing a weak maybe is a minute lost chasing a strong yes. We need to become better at qualifying fast and moving on when deals aren’t real. Focus your energy where it matters. Time is a fire that consumes everything. It can never be reclaimed.

Some historians suggest that Nero set the fire himself to clear land for a grand palace he wanted to build. Whether true or not, it reminds us that sometimes the biggest threats are self-inflicted. It is not usually the market, the economy, or the competition that destroys your pipeline. It is your habits. Bad habits, like spending too much time preparing and not enough time acting, are often the real cause of failure. Henry Ford put it plainly when he said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” If your daily habits are built around planning instead of action, no amount of goal setting will save them.

Technology has made this problem even worse. With so many tools, apps, and platforms available, it is easy for sellers to hide behind screens instead of having real conversations. Sales automation can help scale outreach, but it can also lead to laziness. Sending 500 templated emails is not the same as making 20 thoughtful phone calls. The illusion of productivity is strong. Winston Churchill said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.” We should take that to heart. If you aren’t setting meetings, creating new opportunities, and moving deals forward, all the fancy tools in the world don’t matter. They are just fiddles in the burning city.

Another danger is emotional resistance. Making real sales calls, asking hard questions, and facing rejection is scary. It is human nature to avoid discomfort. But selling is a profession that rewards courage, not comfort. As Brené Brown said, “You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.” If you are spending your days fixing your LinkedIn profile, tweaking a proposal for the tenth time, or updating spreadsheets, you are choosing comfort. You are avoiding the hard but necessary work that leads to success. Meanwhile, the market moves on. Competitors swoop in. Opportunities dry up. Your city burns.

Leaders and managers have a large role to play in fixing this problem. We must set clear expectations around what activities matter and hold our teams accountable to those standards. Metrics like calls made, meetings booked, and proposals sent should matter more than hours logged on your CRM. Coaching should focus on building better habits, not just tracking numbers. As legendary basketball coach John Wooden said, “Don’t mistake activity for achievement.” Leaders must help sellers get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Pushing them to prioritize real selling over feel-good busy work.

The future belongs to sellers who can focus. In a noisy world full of endless distractions, focus is a superpower. Research from McKinsey shows that high performers are 400% more productive than average performers. This is mainly because they focus better. They spend their energy on the few things that really matter. That means focusing on finding new prospects. It means building trust, identifying problems, proposing solutions, and asking for commitments. Everything else is background noise. Sellers who learn to prioritize these actions will thrive. Those who don’t will be left playing their fiddles over the ashes of lost opportunities.

Some may argue that administration and research are necessary parts of the job. And that is true, to a point. Preparation is important. Following up is important. But these activities must be kept in balance. Preparation should not become procrastination. Research should not become avoidance. Abraham Lincoln said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” But notice, after sharpening the axe, he still swung it. Many sellers sharpen and sharpen and sharpen but never swing. At some point, the work must be done.

Sellers today must act like the leaders of their own small empires. We must choose to act, work on the right things, and protect our opportunities. Inaction, distraction, and comfort-seeking behaviors are acts of self-sabotage. The fires of lost opportunities, missed quotas, and shrinking territories are very real. No amount of fiddling will put them out. Focus on what matters most. It is easy to drift toward comfort. It is easy to mistake motion for progress. But true sales success demands clarity, courage, and it demands action.

The fires are always burning. In the economy, in the competition, in the customer’s changing needs, the fire burns. Sellers who waste time are choosing to fiddle while Rome burns. If you focus, act, and prioritize what matters, you will not only survive, but you will also thrive. You will build something far stronger than Nero’s fragile empire. You will build a lasting career. You will build strong customer relationships. And you will build a resilient pipeline that no fire can destroy.

My new book, Double Your Revenue, is now available on Amazon. If you like what you have read, please consider ordering a copy or two. You can always send one to a friend. Order a copy here: https://bit.ly/doubleyourrevenuebyCEFleming