alexander

Leadership Process Four: Directing Symbols 121
29: Leading from the Front
It was said that for breakfast, Alexander liked a long march and
for dinner, a light breakfast. Leading requires showing the way.
It requires that you do not ask others to do what you yourself
would not do. If you lead the way by putting yourself in jeopardy,
you can achieve near mythological proportions.
Alexander was profligately careless with his own life, and
this example, very late in the campaign, simply exudes leadership
by example.
After the battle at the River Hydaspes, the army proceeded
down the Indus to battle the Mallians. At their
strongest citadel, Alexander, who always led from the front,
engaged in his most foolhardy act, nearly costing him his
life. While on the wall, he jumped down into the city to
avoid being shot by arrows, but there he encountered severe,
nearly rabid attacks. A few Macedonians were able to
reach him, but not until he was severely wounded. He was
carried, near death, to the camp. So wild with anger was the
army over the presumed death of Alexander that the city
was reduced and all inhabitants—women and children included—were
killed. This was the height of the army’s
butchery.
The army sorely feared for Alexander’s life—rightfully
so because his demise would probably have led to the dissolution
of his army. He did recover, despite his extensive loss
of blood, and the army reveled in his recovery.