The Wisdom of Alexander the Great: Enduring Leadership Lessons From the Man Who Created an Empire (Hardcover)

by Lance B. Kurke Ph.D. (Author) "To reframe a situation is to change what people pay attention to or deem important..." (more)
Key Phrases: directing symbols, reframing problems, leadership process, Leadership Process One, Leadership Process Three, Leadership Process Four (more...)

Editorial Reviews

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"...an engaging and interesting book." -- Executive Insider (ExecuNet.com e-newsletter)

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"Executive Insider (ExecuNet.com e-newsletter): ""An engaging and interesting book.""

Quality Management Journal: ""This is a well-written, easy-to-read read, and informative book on the processes of leadership."""

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1st edition (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814408206
• ISBN-13: 978-0814408209
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #141,606 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unprecedented and Unsurpassed Greatness, September 1, 2004

By	Robert Morris (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

No one doubts the extraordinary achievements of Alexander, especially given his relatively brief life (356-323 B.C.), achievements which included the successful invasions of Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, the Persian Empire, Afghanistan, Sogdiana, and Bactria. His greatest battles include Granicus, Issus, Gaugamela, and Hydapses. What we know about him is based almost entirely on the works which survive written by Arrian, Rufus Curtius, Siculus Diodorus, and Plutarch. For most readers today, these are but names of countries, locations, and authors which probably have little inherent appeal. Interest in Alexander, however, does and should remain keen.

In this volume, Kurke carefully traces his life and career inorder to answer questions such as these:

1. How was Alexander able to accomplish so much from his succession (at age 20) to the throne of Macedonia (following his father Philip's assassination) until his own death only thirteen years later?

2. What "enduring leadership lessons" can be learned from Alexander's achievements, lessons which are relevant to our contemporary world?

Kurke focuses on 34 episodes which he organizes within the first four chapters, then shares his own "Concluding Thoughts About Leadership" in Chapter 5 followed by "Concluding Thoughts About Alexander" in Chapter 6. I presume to suggest that readers begin with "A Brief Chronology of Alexander's Life" which is located in the Appendix. Presumably they (as did I) will frequently refer back to it while proceeding through the core narrative which consists of a four-stage Leadership Process: Reframing Problems, Building Alliances, Establishing Identity, and Directing Symbols. Kurke also includes his own insights at the conclusion of each of the four chapters (i.e. one per process stage).

Frankly, it is difficult for me to grasp the nature and extent of Alexander's achievements. For example, under his leadership, his armies eventually conquered approximately 90% of the (then) known world...and he is reputed to have known the names of most (if not all) of his 10,000 soldiers. Another example: A student of Aristotle, Alexander was later trained as a doctor and personally attended to the wounds of his soldiers and refused medical treatment of his own (countless) wounds until after his men had been properly cared for. Still another example: Faced with the separate but related problems of (a) providing for his wounded and aged veteran warriors while (b) maintaining control of areas that had been conquered, he established approximately 70 cities and towns of strategic value, occupied by Macedonian veterans and local volunteers who, together, managed those cities and towns effectively.

With regard to the aforementioned "enduring leadership lessons" which Kurke proposes and discusses, it would be a disservice to him as well as to those who read this brief commentary to provide a list now. They are best examined within the context which Kurke carefully creates for each. Also, it makes more sense to correlate them within the four-stage sequence of the Leadership Process. Obviously I think very highly of this book which, in my opinion, makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of what can be described (for lack of a better term) as classical leadership and management principles. They will, of course, have varying degrees of relevance to those who read this book now but all are worthy of careful consideration.

Well-done, Lance Kurke!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Lessons from the Great One, October 23, 2005

By	SUZANNE D'AMATO "Zen" (Malta) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As soon as the book was delivered at my house, I swallowed it in a few hours and I must say that it was extremely tasty and satisfying.

Kurke successfully manages to create the four strategic topics to practise for great leadership - Reframing Problems, Building Alliances, Establishing Identity and Directing Symbols. Towards the end of the book I realised that I was about to start complaining about the lack of information with regards to Alexander's general background, but I felt relieved with the final 6 pages.

I am sure that I will read this book many other times, and I will recommend it highly to anyone with an interest in history or in individual success.

On a critical point, I was disappointed by the Crossing the Gedrosian Dessert chapter. It is true that there is no clear evidence of what were Alexander's reasons for enduring this tough journey but Kurke takes it for granted that Alexander was misinformed by the local guides. Probably Kurke chose this version to create the need for his reasoning. Though many other history books and biographies of Alexander support the fact that Alexander did it on purpose to punish his men after their mutiny.

Maybe this is an aspect of Alexander's character that should be studied in depth.

Zen

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for both history and business students, November 6, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

In The Wisdom Of Alexander The Great , author Lance Kurke's principle focus is on the leadership and leadership lessons of Alexander of Macedonia, providing both historical background and insights into how Alexander made a habit of re-posing problems for maximum solutions. The approach is recommended for both history and business students at the college level and provides some excellent new insights based on history and one especially notable leader's strategies that are as effective today as they were more than two millennia ago.