'Doing an Alexander':: Lessons on Leadership by a Master Conqueror

Manfred Kets de Vries

European Management Journal, 2003, vol. 21, issue 3, 370-375

Abstract: The objective of this article is to explore what makes for effective leadership and what contributes to leadership derailment. For the purpose of elucidation, one of the most famous leaders of all times has been selected: Alexander the Great of Macedonia, who more than any other person changed the history of civilization. His life story illustrates the psychological forces that generally come into play in the making of a leader and reveals leadership lessons that can be learned from his actions. Included among the leadership lessons taught by Alexander are a compelling vision, the role of strategic innovation, the creation of an executive role constellation, the management of meaning, 'praise-singing,' training and development, succession planning, and the importance of well-structured systems of organizational governance.

Keywords: Charisma; Leadership; Hubris; Cyclothymia; Narcissism; Megalomania; Paranoia; Vision; Innovation; Executive; role; constellation; Management; of; meaning; Praise-singing; Succession; planning; Organizational; governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2003
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