The Ruthless Leader: Three Classics of Strategy and Power

TheRuthlessLeaderWhatcouldafifth-centuryb.c.Chinesegeneral'streatiseonmilitarystrategyandafifteenth-centuryFlorentinesatirist/philosopher'sessayonhowtobeaneffectivepotentatehaveincommonwithadvicefromaformerTreasurerandDeputyChairmanofMargaretThatcher'sConservativeParty?Moretothepoint,whatcouldthesetextscontainthatwouldbeofvaluetoabusinesspersontryingtogetaheadintoday'svolatile,globalizedbusinessworld?Quiteabit,asitturnsout.ThePrince,TheServant,andTheArtofWarareunrivaledsourcesforanyonewhoseekstounderstandtheelaborate,oftenbrutal,ritualsofstrategicconductinanydayandage.Eachwaswrittenbyanundeniablyperceptiveobserverofhumanity,andeachoffersunvarnishedtruthsabouthumannature,especiallyasitexpressesitselfinanorganization-whetheritbepolitical,military,orcorporate.Ineachclassic,theauthorbuildsonhisexperiencestodeveloptimelessprinciplesforexploitinghumanfoiblesinordertopromoteone'sownself-interest,whileatthesametimedoingwhatisbestfortheorganizationalbottomline.IntheintroductiontoTheRuthlessLeader,AlistairMcAlpineweavesathematicthreadthatconnectstheimportantthemescommontoallthetextsinthistrilogy.Heminesthemfortheirmostpowerfulinsights,comparesthemtooneanotherhistoricallyandtopically,andplacestheminacontemporarycontextthatmakesiteasyfortoday'sreaderstounderstandhowtheyapplytotheday-to-dayworkingofamodernbusinessorganization.Callthemruthlessorsimplypragmatic,buttheseclassicscompriseanindispensablesurvivalguideforanyonewhowantstoswimwiththesharkswithoutbeingeatenalive.AlistairMcAlpinewasTreasurerandDeputyChairmanoftheConservativePartyforfifteenyearsunderMargaretThatcher.Activeintheworldsofcommerceandthearts,heisacommentatorinbothfields.HewasaregularcolumnistfortheSpectatorandExpressonSunday,andafrequentcontributortoanumberofnationalnewspapers.Heistheauthorofseveralbooks,includingTheNewMachiavelli(Wiley)andTheServant.LordMcAlpinewas,formanyyears,thedirectorofhisfamily'sconstructionfirm,SirRobertMcAlpine&Sons,Ltd.TimelessTruthsofStrategy...Machiavelli'sThePrince:"...ifaprincewhohasnotgreatjudgmentofhisownconsultswithmorethanone,theircounselswillneveragree,norhehaveeverthecunningtounitethem.Everymanwilladviseaccordingtohisowninterestorcaprice,andhenothavethepartseithertocorrectordiscoverit:andothercounselorsarenottobefound,formenwillalwaysprovebad,unlessbynecessitytheyarecompelledtobegood.Sothenitisclear-Thatgoodcounsels,fromwhomsoevertheycome,proceedratherfromthewisdomoftheprincethantheprince'sfromthegoodnessofhiscounsels."AlistairMcAlpine'sTheServant:"Itisimportanttounderstandthatanacceptedfactismorepowerfulthanthetruth....TheServantisnotaseekeraftertruth,butonewhowilltaketheviewthatbestsuitsthePrince.TheServantwillthenpromotethatviewuntilitbecomesanestablishedfact.Astheargumentmovesawayfromthetruthtotheperceivedtruth,sotheServanthastheevidenceofhisnewlymade'facts'tobasehisargumenton.Eventhoughitmaybefarfromthetruth,thefact,onceestablished,willbegenerallyagreedbyall."SunTzu'sTheArtofWar:"...tofightandconquerallyourbattlesisnotsupremeexcellence;supremeexcellenceconsistsinbreakingtheenemy'sresistancewithoutfighting."TheRuthlessLeader