A Jimi thing

Hannibal Barca Leadership Lessons

Although Hannibal was only at an age of 25 when he led his first and last military campaign, he successfully did so, despite having soldiers up to twice his age. How did he do it? Here are my thoughts:

1. Leadership by Example

Hannibal Barca would become the model for future leaders to follow. He was a man who led by example. He would sleep among his soldiers and would not wear anything that made him distinct above his soldiers. He would lead the armies into battle and be the last to leave the battlefield.

Any leader who wishes to gain the respect and trust of his followers has Hannibal to learn from. Whatever task you wish to lead your followers in to do, make sure that you’re not just saying it, but doing it, and doing it better than everyone. That is the essence of leadership by example.

2. Big vision and imagination

Hannibal Barca had a big vision of conquering Rome. That was during the height of the power of the Roman Empire. Despite his young age, his big vision capture the hearts and minds of his followers, and most of them willingly followed him across the sea despite the seemingly overwhelming odds.

As a leader, having the big vision and learning to articulate it is important. People don’t just follow a man, they follow a vision as well. Is your vision for your organization big enough to capture the hearts of men?

3. Wisdom and cunning

Above all, Hannibal displayed extraordinary wisdom and cunning in dealing with superior armies and numbers. Although his was a force of mercenaries, he would defeat the elite, disciplined armies of Rome time and time again. His military tactics are still studied today by many scholars.

As leaders, we must learn to use what we have in our hands to double and triple its productivity. Whether it is people, equipment or any form of resources, you can use it to its best when you employ wisdom and cunning in your decisions, yielding results that are beyond expectation.

I made the correlation this morning between a musician experimenting with her music and an athlete risking failure in the pursuit of personal best. Check this commentary out regarding the mashup of music and mayhem. And this one about the hazards of the safety net. And this one about taking risks.

And of the choices available to us every day in selecting the path with heart (value, challenge, growth, truth) or the road well traveled (safe, understood, calm, staid).

I think we are given the DNA to do what we feel is in our best character. But that isn't always absolute. I MUCH prefer the dangerous approach. I will risk. I want glory. I will sacrifice and I will bleed to get to the top of the mountain (first). To stay in the warm and safe comfort zone of my tiny bubble of calm, might as well be a jail sentence. Life without parole. YUK.

I want my training, like this morning, and my racing, to be in the relentless pursuit of my best. Records. Achievements and victories. I am not afraid of crashing along that path. I have crashed before, and will again. It is worth it. I want my training to be a Jimi thing. A melodic and moving piano concerto in C#major. So far out there that sometimes only dogs can hear the vibe. A Stratocaster riff for absolute mad-men. A tribal beat that resonates deep inside stirring motivations previously thought extinct. New grooves, new melodies, new risks. Every song, every day.

You can keep your three-cord folk tales. You can keep your safety nets. You can keep your mediocrity. You can keep your middle-of-the-road. You can keep your pillows, couches, pills and crutches.

You are free to choose. And for lot's of folks that is fine. I am OK with it. I simply feel that only a person who risks is truly free. And that freedom means the world to me.

Piano concerto for time trialist's in C#major. A contemporary Jimi thing.