Leadership Principles (continued)
Lead by example—From Xenophon’s The Expedition of Cyrus, in the midst of the expedition, we learn the enemy occupied a strategic position, preventing the Greeks from advancing: “At this moment his [Xenophon’s] eye fell on the peak of the mountain, rising immediately above their army, and he could see an approach leading from it to the crest in question where the enemy lay. He exclaimed: ‘The best thing we can do, Cheirisophus, is to make a dash at the height itself, and with what speed we may. If we take it, the party in command of the road will never be able to stop. If you like, stay in command of the army, and I will go; or, if you prefer, do you go to the mountain, and I will stay here.’—‘I leave it to you,’ Cheirisophus answered, ‘to choose which you like best.’”[i]
Xenophon says, as the youngest, he should perform the mission. He requests men from the front, because it will take too long to get them from the rear. Cheirisophus agrees and provides Xenophon with 300 elite troops, plus infantrymen.
The enemy takes notice when Xenophon and his men race toward the top of the mountain. They, too, hurry toward the mountain top. Clearly, the first to reach the top of the mountain has a strategic advantage and can easily attack the opposition.
“Xenophon, mounted on his charger, rode beside his men, and roused their ardour the while, “Now for it, brave sirs; bethink you that this race is for Hellas!—now or never!—to find your boys, your wives; one small effort, and the rest of the march we shall pursue in peace, without ever a blow to strike; now for it.” But Soteridas the Sicyonian said: “We are not on equal terms, Xenophon; you are mounted on a horse; I can hardly get along with my shield to carry;” and he, on hearing the reproach, leapt from his horse. In another instant he had pushed Soteridas from the ranks, snatched from him his shield, and begun marching as quickly as he might under the circumstances, having his horseman’s cuirass to carry as well, so that he was sore pressed; but he continued to cheer on the troops: exhorting those in front to lead on and the men toiling behind to follow up. Soteridas was not spared by the rest of the men. They gave him blows, they pelted him, they showered him with abuse, till they compelled him to take back his shield and march on; and the other, remounting, led them on horseback as long as the footing held; but when the ground became too steep, he left his horse and pressed forward on foot, and so they found themselves on the summit before the enemy.”[ii]
Throughout the expedition, Xenophon models servant leadership. In the mountains, while sleeping in the open and covered with snow, Xenophon arises first and begins splitting wood for a fire. Hearing him and seeing what he is doing, others arise and follow his example. [iii] Xenophon doesn’t ask anything of his comrades he isn’t willing to do. He cares for his men and makes every effort to help them.
Notice, how Xenophon interacts with Cheirisophus. He defers to his leader, he volunteers to take on dangerous missions, he chooses to be positioned at the rear of the march of the Ten Thousand and be exposed to attack, and he is open and transparent, making suggestions and asking questions. His leadership by example includes more than the physical acts of chopping wood and carrying the shield of Soteridas. He models leadership, recognizes people watch what a leader does and listen to what a leader says.
Cyrus the Great also leads by example. As he states, “There is a deep—and usually frustrated—desire in the heart of everyone to act with benevolence rather than selfishness, and one fine instance of generosity can inspire dozens more. I experienced over and again how my own temperance made others more temperate. When they perceived moderation and self-control in the actions of their leader, my subjects were eager to curb their own antisocial instincts.
“I made my people understand the crucial difference between modesty and self-control. The modest person, I told them, will do nothing blameworthy in the light of day, but a true paragon of self-control—which we all should strive to be—avoids unworthy actions even in the deepest secrecy of his private life.
“Self-restraint would take root in my friends if they recognized me as a leader who wasn’t distracted from the pursuit of virtue by the pleasure of the moment—a leader who chose hard work before all else. Thus I established a stately court, where all my friends showed respect to each other and cultivated courtesy until it bloomed into perfect harmony. In my palace I never heard harsh words of anger or a burst of scornful laughter.”[iv]
Cyrus the Great walks his talk. What he says he will do, he does.
Next: Leadership ABCs—X (Part 5)
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[i] https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1170/1170-h/1170-h.htm#link2H_4_0003, Gutenberg’s Anabasis, Book III, Chapter IV.
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid, Book IV, Chapter IV.
[iv] Xenophon’s Cyrus the Great: The Arts of Leadership and War, edited by Larry Hedrick, Truman Talley Books, New York, NY, 2006, pp. 254-255.
