Sample Chapter

You are a good friend.
But a better captain, there is none.
-300

In 480 BC, King Leonidas and three hundred loyal Spartans battled hundreds of thousands of Persians to a standstill for three days. Known as the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas is widely regarded as one of the greatest leaders in history. For the modern day Spartan, battles are no longer fought on narrow rocky passes but in boardrooms and cubicles run by curmudgeon generals; many of whom have forgotten what the words duty, honor, and glory really mean. For too many employees, getting ahead doesn’t come from sweat, integrity, talent, and innovation but rather by staying below the radar screen and not rocking the boat. As a result, many businesses are run by pansies, uh, I mean “managers,” who avoid conflict and seek safety and security above all else. It makes me want to puke! Where have all the leaders gone?

Experts began studying leadership in the early 1900s, but, as Leonidas showed us some twenty-five hundred years ago, it really isn’t all that complicated. Grab a sword; strap on a shield, and lead.

I wrote Duty, Honor, & Glory for the Spartan in all of us who wants to break free of the monotonous pack of sameness and become the leader others lookup to. Using my many years as a leadership expert for a backdrop, I will examine the management and leadership principles exemplified in the blockbuster movie 300 and show you how to apply them to today’s business world. I will share with you some personal stories of how leadership looks and feels and how it doesn’t. You will learn what leadership really means and why being a manager doesn’t automatically qualify you to be a leader. And finally, I will teach you to think like a Spartan leader so you can find the passion and adventure you seek – leading yourself, and any group lucky enough to be with you, to success.

In the end, a Spartan’s true strength is the warrior next to him. Give respect and honor to him, and it will be returned to you. First, you fight with your head.
Then you fight with your heart.
-300