It does not matter whether the leader’s vision comes from an oracle or his mother or from a voice deep within. The hallmark of a good leader is the ability to inspire a team to do something significant and to accomplish what no one else has achieved today. For Alexander, the vision that drove his life came from his mother. When he was a small boy, she predicted that he would be the ruler of the existing world and told him about this vision that filled his mind with ambition. When his father Phillip II was assassinated, Alexander at twenty years old took over as King. His father’s empire was falling apart and people did not believe that Alexander had enough experience to lead them. In a short time, he was able to reunite his father’s empire and rather than being satisfied with that followed his vision of ruling the world. With a small army he left home determined to conquer Persia, a large empire with the strongest navy in the world. The stakes were very high because he could have easily not only lost his army but his father’s empire.Alexander’s Vision
- He communicated his vision frequently and clearly to his followers.
- He would not rest until he took over the whole world, something nobody else had done before.
- He had a sense of destiny with a burning desire to see this vision come true.
- His vision never wavered regardless of the obstacles he would face.
Alexander’s Success
- He never lost a battle even to forces superior in number than his own.
- He achieved success in a variety of terrains, open plains, urban environments and mountain terrains.
- He is considered one of the greatest generals of all time.
- He founded dozens of cities which generated economic prosperity, cultural exchange and political stability.
- He campaigned for ten consecutive years and covered over 10,000 miles.
- Conquered Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, the Persian Empire, Afghanistan, Sogdiana, Bactria and invaded India.
Alexander had vision but he also made mistakes and did some horrible things during his life. Alexander was ahead of his time and I chose to keep this post focused mainly on his ability to establish, communicate and follow a clear vision. There will be more posts about Alexander’s ability to foster diversity, to think strategically, to inspire his troops, to encourage innovation and much more.
“There is nothing impossible to him who will try. “
Your insights and thoughts
- Do you know a leader who is inspiring a team to do something significant and to accomplish what no one else has achieved today?
