Chapter 45
The Battle Begins
Mounting his horse again Prince Andrew lingered with the battery, looking at the puff from the gun that had sent the ball. His eyes ran rapidly over the wide space, but he only saw that the hitherto motionless masses of the French now swayed and that there really was a battery to their left. The smoke above it had not yet dispersed. Two mounted Frenchmen, probably adjutants, were galloping up the hill. A small but distinctly visible enemy column was moving down the hill, probably to strengthen the front line. The smoke of the first shot had not yet dispersed…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Crisis Leadership Style
Think of a recent stressful situation you faced—at work, home, or in your community. Write down exactly how you responded: your tone of voice, your body language, the specific words you used. Now rewrite that same scenario using Bagratión's approach—staying calm, asking questions instead of giving orders, creating space for others to contribute solutions.
Consider:
- •Notice whether your first instinct was to control or to guide
- •Consider how your energy affected the people around you
- •Think about which approach would have gotten better results
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone's calm presence helped you find your own strength during a difficult moment. What exactly did they do or not do that made the difference?
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