Does your employees share and understand your great vision for the future?

Alexander the Great was one of the greatest rules of the ancient times; he has ruled most of the known world during his days. An inspiring leader, great visionary, one of the best battle tactician of his time. With all his abilities and his troops he conquered the whole of the mighty Persian Empire and stretched his empire to the Himalayas.

There are even writings saying – Alexander lead Macedonian cavalry was one of the successful battle group. He was a master of battle strategy “he could almost look at the battle formation of enemies and decide on the charge of how to penetrate and destroy the formation”. Every thing was good till he invaded India. He was victorious in entering India but why he stopped; fall back and died soon after.  He knew his men he quickly studied the terrain, commanded the biggest army– but then why he gave up. What quality as a leader he lacked? The answer is “he knew his men but not well enough to conquer the whole world”. Yes his men were not cooperating with him because they started to doubt his intentions. Though he inspires them by leading from front – it is very necessary for a leader to know if his men still share his great vision?  - in the case of Alexander it was not , his men were tired of war and wanted to return back to their land and they are not happy with many of the decisions that he made.  

That’s his mistake – “His men doesn't share his vision as he failed to understand them when he asked for a greater result”.

Let’s move to an early modern world, Hitler – of all who hates him for his cruelty, there are few who love him for his leadership skills. He was the man who would have changed the history of the whole world. We all know about his bravery the man who won iron cross for his bravery in First World War, transformed in to a greater leader in few years. He is a great speaker, visionary and obviously a war tactician but not too great, it took the combined effort of 3 great nations to bring him down. So where did it all go wrong? What is the quality that he lacked to be a successful leader? His whole nation shared his vision his solders were on to it, but he has asked too much – that's his problem. No doubt his army had the advanced weapons and great people to fight. But when you go against the whole world - it's the leader who should show them the light, the way forward and how it gets closer to the goal. Ordered the invasion of Russia (USSR)  soon after the set back there he ordered an attack on Great Britain, which confused few of his generals not knowing what is the actual plan “hit every one around is that the plan?”;they have to ask more from their men. Ultimately we all knew how it ended for him.

As we can see it’s almost the same mistake he committee as Alexander – “Failure to give mile stones to the ultimate goal and, not knowing what your people can deliver and what not”.

As a leader of the modern world there could be a lot of difference from ancient times but the odds are still the same.