Chapter 90
Caesar's Art of War and Leadership
OBSERVATION ON THE MEANS TO CARRY ON A WAR ACCORDING TO JULIUS CAESAR ‘Tis related of many great leaders that they have had certain books in particular esteem, as Alexander the Great, Homer; Scipio Africanus, Xenophon; Marcus Brutus, Polybius; Charles V., Philip’de Comines; and ‘tis said that, in our times, Machiavelli is elsewhere still in repute; but the late Marshal Strozzi, who had taken Caesar for his man, doubtless made the best choice, seeing that it indeed ought to be the breviary of every soldier, as being the true and sovereign pattern of the military art. And, moreover, God knows…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Practice Strategic Transparency
Think of a current challenge you're facing where you need others' cooperation - at work, home, or in your community. Write two versions of how you'd present this challenge: first, the way most people do it (downplaying problems or pretending everything's fine), then using Caesar's approach (honest about the difficulty but confident about handling it together). Compare how each version would likely be received.
Consider:
- •How does acknowledging difficulty actually build trust rather than create panic?
- •What's the difference between sharing problems and sharing panic?
- •How can you be honest about challenges while still projecting leadership confidence?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone in authority lied to you about how difficult something would be. How did you feel when you discovered the truth? Now write about a time when someone was upfront about challenges from the start. Which approach made you more willing to follow their lead?
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