The Man Who Won and Lost It All

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In July, 356 BC, King Philip II of Macedon and his wife, Olympias, welcomed a son, Alexander.  Philip was the 18th king of Macedonia and is credited with restoring internal peace to his country via the League of Corinth.  By 339 BC, Philip had gained military and diplomatic control of all of Greece, ruling the Greek nation-states until his assassination in 336 BC.

Between the ages of 13-16, Alexander was a student of Aristotle.  It was there that Alexander studied philosophy, medicine, and science.  Upon returning to Macedonia, Alexander proved himself as a military leader, earning the trust of the Army.  After his father’s assassination, Alexander succeeded his father, with the Army’s overwhelming endorsement.

Shortly after his rise to the Kingship, Alexander (now in his early 20s) set his sights on global expansion. Alexander understood that to maintain the Army his father had built, he needed the wealth of the Persian empire.  Previous expeditionary treks into Persia had revealed several vulnerabilities that could be exploited.

In the Spring of 334 BC, Alexander led an army of 30,000 foot soldiers and 5,000 cavalry into Persia.  In battle after battle, Alexander proved himself to be a masterful tactician and military strategist.   The quest to dominate Persia culminated in the Battle of Issus, with Alexander winning a decisive victory.  The Persians were routed, and their king, Darius, fled, leaving his family in Alexander’s hands.

From there, Alexander set his sights on Egypt and the Mediterranean Coast.  Egypt wisely surrendered to Alexander’s rule, adding the wealth of Egypt to Macedonia’s coffers.  This helped to finance Alexander’s quest to conquer the known world, as he set his sights on Central Asia and India.

After Central Asia and India fell to Alexander’s forces, Alexander’s vision of conquering the known world had been completed.  Now, he set his sights on the world yet unknown.   But when his soldiers resisted, desiring to return home after a decade of fighting, Alexander relented and turned his troops back toward Macedonia.

On June 13, 323 BC Alexander died at the age of 33 after becoming ill from an extended banquet and drinking celebration. After reigning as “The Great King” over a vast empire for more than 12 years, Alexander leaves his kingdom in turmoil with no designated heir to the throne, and no plans for governing his empire.

Alexander is considered by many historians as one of the greatest (if not the greatest) and most successful military commanders.  His conquests led to the spread of Hellenistic culture across most of the known world, significantly impacting the course of history.  Alexander the Great was undefeated in battle, a feat only matched in world history by only two other military leaders, Genghis Khan and Khalid Ibn al-Walid.

What made Alexander the Great such a powerful military genius and empire builder?

Alexander was ambitious, and by all accounts was a man of tremendous passion and drive.  He was also a charismatic figure and visionary leader who rallied a loyal army of followers who were committed to helping Alexander achieve his goal of global conquest.  He was a leader, but he was not your typical military leader.

Alexander trained regularly with his soldiers. As such, he demonstrated an important element of effective leadership, leading by example.  Alexander was not going to ask his soldiers to do what he was unwilling to do himself.  If he was going to lead soldiers, he wanted to understand combat from their perspective and use that knowledge to his advantage.

Not only did he train with his soldiers, Alexander ate and drank with his soldiers.  Unlike other military leaders who remained apart from the rank and file, Alexander made it his mission to build rapport with the men he would later ask to fight on behalf of him and his kingdom.  By getting to know them on an intimate, personal level, he gained their confidence, trust, and allegiance.  His soldiers knew they were seen, heard, understood, and appreciated.

As the military prepared for battle, again Alexander took an unconventional approach.  He prepared for battle alongside his soldiers.  He dressed with them, talked through strategy with them, and encouraged them as they prepared to take their place on the front line.  His men saw Alexander as one of them, and they knew that he knew them by name.

When the battle commenced, Alexander again broke with military tradition.  Most military leaders fought from the rear, protected by the troops.  From the rear, they could see the big picture and issue orders to respond to the ebb and flow of battle, without putting themselves in great danger. Julius Caesar and Hannibal both employed this tactical approach.

Alexander chose to lead from the front, facing the enemy head-on.  Rather than send orders down through the ranks, Alexander elected to be at the forefront, charging into the foray, and setting the example of ferocity, tenacity, and confidence he wanted his men to embrace. His supreme confidence, a belief that he and his soldiers could not lose, is considered one of the keys to Alexander’s military success.

After the Battle of Issus, we see another interesting leadership quality displayed by Alexander. Darius fled the battle, leaving his family in Alexander’s hands.  Unlike other military rulers of his day, Alexander treated Darius’ captured royalty and nobles with dignity and respect.  This not only won him their admiration, loyalty, and support, but it helped to also secure the loyalty and support of their followers. This became a model repeated again and again.

Alexander made it a point to visit the soldiers after a battle, spending additional time with those who had been injured or wounded during the conflict.  He had them relive the stories of how they were injured, allowing them to embellish these tales to their heart’s content. Alexander continued to follow up with these wounded soldiers, checking on their recovery progress, and showing them he was genuinely appreciative of their sacrifice.

Once again, the soldiers felt heard, seen, valued, and appreciated.  Alexander repeatedly demonstrated his care and concern for the welfare and well-being of those he was leading. This helped to continually strengthen the bonds of loyalty and dedication to a leader who was truly one of the people.

In battle, Alexander was again unconventional. Rather than follow the prescribed rules of combat of the era, Alexander was intentional in his out-of-the-box approach to warfare.  As such, his foes were continually caught off-guard as he and his soldiers performed the unexpected, gaining a tactical advantage over their opponents on the battlefield.

Alexander the Great’s leadership was characterized by his charisma, tactical brilliance, and his ability to inspire loyalty in his troops. He was not only a brilliant military leader who led from the front, he was a highly skilled diplomat and administrator.  His use of strategic alliances and cultural integration, as well as his kind treatment of captured nobility, helped to win the hearts of the people as he consolidated his territorial expansions.

But, every leader has his flaws, and Alexander was no different.

Alexander’s greatest leadership mistake was his failure to establish a lasting legacy.

One of the primary responsibilities of a leader is to equip and empower the people who will one day take his or her place.  This is how leadership is perpetuated in and through future generations.  A leader’s job is to work himself or herself out of a job, preparing those who will one day take their place, giving them opportunities to lead (and learn), and eventually passing the mantle (and responsibility) of leadership to them.

Alexander failed in this key leadership role.  He failed to establish a succession plan within his own family, leaving no clear heir to the throne.  He also failed to prepare a succession plan within his military ranks to maintain the Empire they had fought to forge over a decade of fighting across the known world.  Control was replaced with chaos.

In the absence of leadership, confusion, conflict, and calamity take center stage.

Within a few short years after Alexander’s death, his kingdom was divided among his generals, resulting in intense power struggles and civil war.   All that Alexander had gained in terms of global conquest was lost in less than a decade. 

The man who never lost a military battle as he conquered the known world lost it all due to a failure to lead beyond himself.

So, what’s the moral of the story?  What can we learn from Alexander the Great’s life?

Alexander taught us many things about effective leadership.  Let me leave you with seven.

1.      Good leaders lead by example.  They understand people do what people see.

2.      Good leaders get to know their people.  They make sure those they are leading know they are seen, heard, valued, and appreciated.

3.      Good leaders are confident.  They believe they can win and work to instill that belief in the people they are leading.  Confidence is a prerequisite for success.

4.      Good leaders take the high road, treating other people the way they would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.  Character matters, and good leaders are men and women of good morals and character.

5.      Good leaders constantly check on their people. They are genuinely concerned with the welfare and well-being of those they are leading.

6.      Good leaders challenge the status quo.  They are intentional about learning, growing, and improving themselves and those around them.

7.      Good leaders equip and empower the people who will one day take their place. A leader’s lasting legacy is defined by how well those who lead after them continue to build upon what they were given and make it even better.

Remember, the man who never lost a military battle as he conquered the known world lost it all due to a failure to lead beyond himself.

The legacy you leave behind will be determined by the people you’re preparing today who will one day take the mantle of leadership from you and place it on their shoulders.

The foundations of your team or organization’s future success is predicated on how well you are leading beyond yourself today. 

If you were to be taken out of the picture tomorrow, who takes your place?

Do they know what you know?  Can they do what you do?  Are they prepared to not only to continue, but to continue to learn, grow, expand, and succeed?

If not, like Alexander, your kingdom dies with you.