alexander

146 THE WISDOM OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
leaders at all the organizations, resulting in strong benefits
for all. Learn and use the power of building alliances.
3. Establishing identity is paramount to leadership. My
experience with top leaders is that they pay inadequate attention
to culture and organizational identity. The evidence
is clear: Organizations with a strong culture outperform
those without one. I ask rhetorically, ‘‘In how many organizations
is culture an afterthought?’’ Organizations that systematically
build the identity of their employees excel. This
is true whether you are building cars, making symphonic
music, or invading countries. Identity matters to people.
The adage is that we all want to belong to something larger
than ourselves. This sense of belonging makes the difference
between two stonemasons, one who reports ‘‘I cut stone for
a living’’ and the other who asserts ‘‘I am building a cathedral.’’
Same job, very different commitment. Establish and
build identity in the workplace.
The other aspect of identity is self-identity. This topic
warrants its own book. Who you are and who you become
are essential to being a great leader. Both are open to enactment.
You can act to change who you are and who you will
become by using all four leadership processes.
4. Directing symbols, the final leadership process, is probably
the least consciously used and most misunderstood process.
Let me again assert the caveat: Do not become a
symbolic manager by abusing the power of symbols. Everyone
will see through you and isolate you, making you ineffective.
However, learn to use symbolism effectively, which
probably implies rarely. Symbols are all around us all the