INTRODUCTION 195which trust is compromised cannot be truly creative and innovative: loss
of creativity is an early victim to a regime of fear and anxiety. In this
chapter I look at some very distinctive leaders who possess what I like
to call the ‘ teddy bear ’ factor — something in them and the way they
operate that helps people manage their anxiety and work creatively.
It is probably stretching readers ’ credulity to suggest that Alex-
ander the Great, the subject of the fi rst chapter in this section, had
a Winnie the Pooh side, although he might seem distinctly cuddly
in comparison to that other great military innovator, Shaka Zulu — his
leadership style was very different. Alexander the Great has always
fascinated me. He can probably be viewed as one of the greatest
leaders of all time. Accounts of his exploits show that many of the
soundest principles of leadership are actually very old — principles of
leadership that are vaunted now date from the time of Alexander.
For me, exploring Alexander ’ s life has been a fascinating journey into
the history of leadership. As a conqueror, Alexander represents the
dictum that nothing is impossible for those who persevere. Alexander
is an example of someone with unlimited ambition, who wanted to
have it all — and then worked relentlessly to achieve that ambition.
He was a man with a dream who spoke to the collective imagination
of humankind. In Chapter 10 , I summarize some of the lessons of
leadership that Alexander presented. He certainly set a good example.
He did not walk behind his troops; he led from the front. His troop
deployment on the battlefi eld was innovative and he was a tremendous
inspiration to his soldiers. He held pep - talks for his offi cers and men
before a battle, telling them how brave and successful they were. He
made his people feel special and had a keen understanding of symbolic
leadership. Admittedly, he was ultimately prey to the fallibilities
attendant on great leadership and toward the end of his life declared
himself a god — but his journey to that point was one of unparalleled
achievement.
I have always been interested in leaders who make a difference
and on the lookout for exceptional leaders. When I came back to
Europe from Canada, I very much wanted some personal accounts
from top organizational leaders, so I wrote everyone I could think of,
asking for an interview. Only one person replied (by telex) and he
just said, ‘ Hi, Manfred, please come. ’ That was Richard Branson. I
have spent a long time following Branson ’ s career, watching him
achieve folk - hero status in the UK, and become a role model for young
people wanting a career in business. He is one of three leaders whose
style I examine in Chapter 11. There has been almost too much written
about Jack Welch, one of the most infl uential business leaders of the