As the demand for comparative studies of leadership rises, managers and trainers are looking harder than ever for new studies to which trainees will not bring preconceived idea. This unique book delivers just that. Though the contexts have changed, the examination of ancient events from a business perspective provides a wealth of useful insights on how the process of leadership works. From China's first emperor Liu Bang on vision and Pericles on integrity to Alexander the Great on communication and Ramesses II on courage, Leadership Lessons from the Ancient World combines history with business to show that the universal strategies used by great leaders of the past are still relevant today. In ancient times, no less than today, the nature of good leadership was the subject of intense debate. And in addressing the critical issue of how to develop leaders capable of handling the tough challenges of the future, this book starts from the premise that you can do no better than consider how the very same challenges were met by the greatest leaders of the past.

Leadership - Lessons from the Ancient World explores eighteen key themes, from risk-taking to empowerment, using well-known historical leaders to highlight the timeless principles underlying each one. Combining a wealth of management experience with a fascination with what defines and creates effective leadership, the authors - a classical historian, a chartered manager and a trainer in a multinational company - examine the actions of each leader in the context of their own time, connect their stories to current theory and provide an up-to-date case study to help readers apply the principles to their own practice. A final chapter sums up the lessons of the book, and suggests the direction that leadership development should take in order to cope with the challenges of globalization and technological advance.

If you want to know how the courage of Ramesses II saved Egypt, or how Alexander the Great built the world's first multi-ethnic kingdom, it's all here. From the earliest civilisations of the Middle East and China to the Fall of Rome, enjoy eighteen critical lessons on leadership - played out in the ancient world, and still relevant to business today.