April 7, 2008

Conquering your job: A few lessons from Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great was one of history's greatest military generals. By the time he died in 323 B.C. at the age of 33, he had conquered much of modern-day Greece, Turkey and Egypt, as well as wide swaths of the Middle East, India and Central Asia.

But does he have anything to teach your typical office go-getter?

Leandro Martino thinks so. The New York City-based business strategist, who holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, studied Alexander the Great and other historic leaders, and has written a book — “Leadership and Strategy: Lessons from Alexander the Great” — that examines how his strategies can apply to modern leaders.

Martino, in a phone interview, readily conceded that executives can't conquer competitors the way Alexander did (perhaps war elephants are getting passe), but said there is much to learn from the way Alexander led.

Chief among his traits was ambition.

“Alexander had a pathological obsession with achieving his goals,” Martino said.

That's probably an understatement, given his relentless 12-year tear through the known world. He never lost a battle and founded cities that remain in existence today.

Some tips from 320 B.C.

Business strategist Leandro Martino says five traits helped Alexander become one of the world's greatest conquerors and they can help you too: • Communicating a clear ambition • Thinking unconventionally • Paying attention to details • Breaking big goals into small milestones • Respecting diverse opinions

Alexander motivated his armies by setting clear, ambitious goals, Martino said, and strategies to achieve them.

“He could communicate and convince his followers,” he said.

Alexander also had an educational advantage that none of us could match today — he had Aristotle for a teacher. With one of ancient Greece's foremost thinkers at his side, Alexander's training went beyond military education to include biology, science, philosophy and other subjects. His supple mind and comprehensive schooling enabled Alexander to solve problems with unconventional approaches, Martino said, a trait that would become handy in both politics and battles.

Another trait that set Alexander apart was his ability to plan for different contingencies and pay close attention to details. The lesson here, Martino said, is “be prepared to win as a part of the process of winning.”

Alexander's outsized ambitions may have seemed unrealistic at first, but he was able to realize them by breaking them down into achievable goals.

Discipline also played a role, Martino said. Alexander would keep his plans secret while conquering opponents with surprising speed.

“There was a surprise element every time he faced an opponent.”

Finally, Alexander created a cohesive empire by welcoming defeated countries, seeking out diverse opinions and respecting local cultures.

Alexander made people feel like they had not been conquered, Martino said, by refraining from imposing new taxes or religions. He also promoted intermarriages with Persians and sought diversity in his armies.

The light touch Alexander showed “granted him that power as a charismatic leader,” Martino said.

On a more down-to-earth note, Alexander liked to lead by example, and didn't ask people to do what he wouldn't do himself, such as fighting on the frontline.

Despite his battlefield successes, Alexander sacrificed terribly, Martino said. He died young — likely from malaria — and never went back to his homeland during years of campaigning.

“He didn't have any balance in his life,” Martino said. “But he achieved the things he wanted to do.... It would have been much easier for him to stay in (his native) Macedonia and defend the frontiers of his kingdom.”

Although Martino doesn't encourage readers to match the scope of Alexander's ambition, he said both entrepreneurs and corporate leaders can learn from his perseverance, whether their goal is to build market share or to diversify.

In his own business and personal life, Martino said, Alexander's lessons have served as a “motivator” from “the way he overcame so many obstacles and how open he was (to new ideas).”

Though Alexander wasn't a chess player, Martino said, “he was playing the battlefield with the same level of strategy.”

 

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Jon Silver can be reached by email or by phone at (206) 622-8272.