Leadership is on our minds in this presidential-election year. Many books, schools and seminars teach leadership, and often well. But thereâ??s no manual like the classics.
Alexander the Great, Hannibal, and Julius Caesar were the three greatest generals of the classical world. Alexander and Caesar took small armies and conquered great empires, while Hannibal came close. Soldier-statesmen, they aimed at turning military success into political capital. In the end, though, none enjoyed a lasting peace.
Still, these warrior politicians speak not only to generals but also to presidents and would-be presidents. Messrs. Obama and Romney, take note.
Ten qualities underlay the great captainsâ?? success. The first nine are ambition, judgment, command, strategy, audacity, agility, infrastructure, branding, and terror. The tenth is different, something that happens to a commander rather than something he has â?? the quality of Divine Providence. Letâ??s look briefly at each of them.
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