The Leadership Genius of Julius Caesar

6CO-OPT THE POWER OF OTHERS

Think of how often we see political infighting within an organization. Many times, people are asked to choose sides, and it becomes a battle of “You’re either with me or against me.” Careers and livelihoods fall victim to disagreements carried on between big personalities elsewhere in the organization. Those who straddle the line of neutrality can barely avoid getting swept up in the shifting tides. Sometimes, people just don’t have a side in a fight, and forcing an either/or choice alienates these poor souls who would have been useful regardless of the outcome.

In Caesar’s campaigns during the early days of the civil war, we see the benefit of a much more gracious and productive way of dealing with competing interests. ...