alexander

80 THE WISDOM OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
exile) and her infant daughter. Olympias remained in
Greece during the subsequent campaign and helped hold
the alliance together, almost ruling on Alexander’s behalf,
maintaining a loyal vigilance.
After his father’s death, Alexander confirmed the appropriateness
of his ascendancy by pursuing Philip’s policies.
First, he convened the League of Corinth, convincing them
to elect him as his father’s successor (as hegemon). He next
quelled revolts in the north (in Trace, Illyria, and on the
Danube) and returned to deal with a revolt in Thebes.
Inferences and Allegations
In this case, given the fundamental importance of being
king, Alexander bided his time. He was patient when others
might have acted expeditiously or inappropriately. When
the opportunity did arise, he acted decisively and immediately.
Leading Lessons
So many organizations lack sound succession plans at all
levels of the organization. Lack of an agreed-upon succession
plan can lead to chaos. Succession is often not smooth
and requires structural change to accommodate different
management styles. Without sound plans, those that ascend
to the top leadership position often wreck havoc with others
in top management, to the detriment of the firm.
Another lesson is that sometimes we have to bide our