9 Timeless Leadership Lessons from Cyrus the Great
Cyrus The Great (Photo credit:
Wikipedia)
Forget 1-800-CEO Read. The greatest book on business and leadership was
written in the 4th century BC by a Greek about a Persian King. Yeah, that’s
right.
Behold: Cyrus the Great, the man that historians call
“the most amiable of conquerors,” and the first king to found “his empire on
generosity” instead of violence and tyranny. Consider Cyrus the antithesis to
Machiavelli’s ideal Prince. The author, himself the opposite of
Machiavelli, was Xenophon, a student of Socrates.
The book is a veritable classic in
the art of leadership, execution, and responsibility. Adapted from Larry Hendrick’s excellent translation, here are
nine lessons in leadership from Xenophon’s Cyrus the Great:
Be Self-Reliant
“Never be slow in replenishing your
supplies. You’ll always bee on better terms with your allies if you can secure
your own provisions…Give them all they need and your troops will follow you to
the end of the earth.”
Be Generous
“Success always calls for greater
generosity–though most people, lost in the darkness of their own egos, treat it
as an occasion for greater greed. Collecting boot [is] not an end itself, but
only a means for building [an] empire. Riches would be of little use to us
now–except as a means of winning new friends.”
Be Brief
“Brevity is the soul of command. Too
much talking suggests desperation on the part of the leader. Speak shortly,
decisively and to the point–and couch your desires in such natural logic that
no one can raise objections. Then move on.”
Be a Force for Good
“Whenever you can, act as a
liberator. Freedom, dignity, wealth–these three together constitute the
greatest happiness of humanity. If you bequeath all three to your people, their
love for you will never die.”
Be in Control
[After punishing some renegade
commanders] “Here again, I would demonstrate the truth that, in my army,
discipline always brings rewards.”
Be Fun
“When I became rich, I realized that
no kindness between man and man comes more naturally than sharing food and
drink, especially food and drink of the ambrosial excellence that I could now
provide. Accordingly, I arranged that my table be spread everyday for many
invitees, all of whom would dine on the same excellent food as myself. After my
guests and I were finished, I would send out any extra food to my absent
friends, in token of my esteem.”
Be Loyal
[When asked how he planned to dress
for a celebration] “If I can only do well by my friends, I’ll look glorious
enough in whatever clothes I wear.”
Be an Example
“In my experience, men who respond
to good fortune with modesty and kindness are harder to find than those who
face adversity with courage.”
Be Courteous and Kind
“There is a deep–and usually
frustrated–desire in the heart of everyone to act with benevolence rather than
selfishness, and one fine instance of generosity can inspire dozens more. Thus
I established a stately court where all my friends showed respect to each other
and cultivated courtesy until it bloomed into perfect harmony.”
There’s a reason Cyrus found
students and admirers in his own time as well as the ages that followed. From
Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin to Julius Caesar and Alexander (and yes,
even Machiavelli) great men have read his inspiring example and put it to use
in the pursuit of their own endeavors.
