History lessons : what business and management can learn from the great leaders of history

Modern organisations need great leadership not only from the chief executive officer or their equivalent, but at every level of management. Arguably, as high-calibre management skills are inferred from every successful twenty-first century operation, what sets the truly great organization ahead of its competitors is the quality of its leadership. The personal qualities and abilities that great leaders possess cannot be taught in the same way that the skills and techniques of good management can. Leadership is an intensely human activity, and great leadership takes many different forms. From Pericles of Athens to Nelson Mandela, from Horatio Nelson to Chiang Kai Shek, History Lessons examines the great leaders of history and asks, What was it that set them apart and enabled their dramatic successes? The lessons to be learned from history are rich and varied, throwing the light of two thousand years of human experience on the challenges facing the decision-makers of today. Anyone who is called upon to lead in any sphere, whether the president of a multinational corporation, or the organiser of a local charity event, will find History Lessons informative, inspiring and potentially life-changing. Annotation Pericles of Athens, Lorenzo of Florence, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Elizabeth I, Napoleon Bonaparte, Zhou Enlai, Ghandi, Lee Kwan Yew - these are just some of the great names who changed the course of history. Far from being dated and irrelevant, their actions and thoughts, and the way in which they conducted themselves in history's great events, are an invaluable source of lessons and inspiration for today's manager or executive. In this fascinating, cross-disciplinary book Jonathan Gifford examines ten critical issues (eg, getting the structure right, setting the direction, forging partnerships, making things flourish) facing today's manager and what history can contribute towards a greater understanding of them. Moreover, Gifford uses the lens of history to provide contemporary managers with new perspectives and solutions to essentially similar problems faced by the great names of history Business lessons for today's manager from key events and great leaders in history. An exciting cross-disciplinary book that will provide an engaging read for managers and executives. A proven fact that many businesspeople are inspired by great names and events in history 1. Changing the mood 2. Boldness of vision 3. Doing the planning 4. Leading from the front 5. Bringing people with you 6. Making things happen 7. Taking the offensive 8. Creating opportunities.