Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy: The Timeless Leadership Lessons of History's Greatest Empire Builder

From Publishers Weekly
Indian-born strategy adviser Bose sees Alexander the Great as a paragon of strategy and leadership for contemporary businesspersons. And apparently, he's not alone: Baz Luhrman, Norman Schwarzkopf, Oliver Stone and Ted Turner all agree the ruler was onto something. Bose here takes readers through the major events of Alexander's life, inserting observations and lessons relevant to business. The history sections-covering Alexander's birth and early education under Aristotle's tutelage to his death and the dissolution of his vast empire-are engaging, though far from comprehensive. While Bose doesn't purport to be a historian, he is a partner and chief marketing officer of an international management consultancy. Despite that, he does a poor job of pulling lessons from the empire builder's biography. For example, "The Art of Deceptive Strategy" describes how Alexander conquered a supposedly invincible band of Indian warriors in 328 B.C. by creating a phantom threat. Bose then describes how, in the 1980s, Ralston Purina created a phantom threat in the pet food industry. The parallel is obvious, but defeating an enemy is hardly the same as creating a market. Moreover, in his enthusiasm, Bose seems at times to be recommending Alexander's most brutal tactics as business strategies. The results can be unintentionally humorous. In a chapter on leadership styles, the historical tidbit "when [Alexander's] closest friend, Hephaistion, died of a fever in Ecbatana, Alexander had the physician treating him crucified" is followed immediately by "Alexander's trusting leadership style evoked fierce loyalty from those around him." Illus.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
The king of Macedonia from 336 until 323 B.C., Alexander influenced countless leaders in the centuries that followed, including modern times, with his ideas about strategy and education, according to the author, a seasoned expert on marketing and business strategy. This largely historical audio is a showcase for the author's deep understanding of personal development, leadership, problem-solving, competition, and, of course, business strategy. The richness of these lessons, especially on audio, cannot be overstated; happily, James Langton reads them with educated restraint. Taught by Aristotle, Alexander also introduced teaching methods that revolutionized classroom learning and are still used in top schools. This is an exquisitely drawn portrait and an intellectual treasure. T.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Mark Miller, The Wall Street Journal
"As inspirational reading for the managerial class… this book fits the bill."


Warren G. Bennis, coauthor of Geeks and Geezers
"Bose has illuminated the ways Alexander’s ways are the ways for twenty-first century leadership."


Book Description
A rousing biography that shows how to put the tactics and insights of history’s greatest conqueror to work for you. Throughout the ages, Alexander the Great has been celebrated for building an empire that spanned from Greece to India by the time he was thirty-three. Today he continues to inspire business, government, and military magnates—and leaders from Ted Turner to Norman Schwarzkopf have brought his techniques and vision to boardrooms and battlefields in achieving their success. In Alexander the Great’s Art of Strategy, Partha Bose follows Alexander’s life and military campaigns and shows how you can employ his leadership lessons to conquer today’s challenges in commerce, politics, and life. Bose combines his preeminent knowledge of the business world with his passionate study of Alexander to bring to life case studies of winning corporations—such as Dell, General Electric, and Wal-Mart—that have followed the example of one of history’s greatest leaders. Part biography and part management guide, Alexander the Great’s Art of Strategy is a compelling and insightful book that should be read by leaders everywhere.


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As inspirational reading for the managerial class￯﾿ﾽ this book fits the bill.


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