Red Bike Leader

“No wild beast is as dangerous to man as one Christian is to another.” – Julian the Apostate

Towards the end of the Roman Empire, one of the nephews of Constantine the Great, Julian, took the throne as the Augustus Emperor. He inherited an empire with some serious problems, namely the Parthian Empire (modern Iraq/Iran) was causing trouble, and Christianity was giving him fits.

Julian was a devout pagan who rejected the Christian faith and believed, like many others in Rome, that the decline of Imperial power was linked to the rise in Christianity. Julian took the throne and quickly went about restoring pagan Roman religion. And naturally, many Christians resisted and began causing problems for Julian – problems that he did not need. Soon the Parthians invaded

So how did Julian handle his Christian enemies? He gave them total freedom. Seriously. Earlier Emperors had played favorites with particular Christian sects and gave them special rights while outlawing and condemning other Christian sects. Julian gave all Christians, no matter what they believed or how they practiced their faith, total freedom and protection. He predicted that once the Christians could do as they pleased, they’d instantly turn on each other instead of being united against him.

It worked. Julian’s policy of total Christian toleration was the most liberal and generous religious policy in the late Empire. And after about a year of the policy, Julian had no further issues, uprisings, or problems with Christianity. He was able to concentrate on fighting off the Parthians and securing the borders of the eastern Empire.

Julian understood something that many leaders forget: often times our opponents will defeat themselves… if we let them. Julian gave Christians just enough rope to hang themselves with internal squabbling. It allowed him to concentrate on what he HAD to do instead of being pulled into minor distractions. The concept of a united opposition is all too often a myth.

“History teaches us that no man can be great unless a certain amount of vanity enters into his composition…For a man to be important it is also necessary to have a good opinion of one’s self, even if for no other purpose than to impress others.” –Washington Roebling

When the Brooklyn Bridge was built, it was the most magnificent bridge in the world. It not only set the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world but also became an enduring image of creativity and intelligence in the world of engineering. It was a symbol of pride for the people of New York and for everyone in America as well.
John Roebling developed the original bridge design. John was a giant in the industry known for his engineering innovations. However, prior to the bridge being built, Roebling passed away leaving a giant hole in leadership and massive questions about whether the bridge could and would be built.

It was in this void that Washington Roebling (John’s son) stepped in. He assumed responsibility, leadership, and decision making for the project. Over the next 13 years, Washington faced doubts, anger, frustration and constant questioning over his ability to do the job designed by his more famous and influential father. Every decision he made was met with intense scrutiny and more than once he was threatened with the loss of his job. Despite the odds, he finished the job and was the most influential force on the creation of the final bridge.

Leaders will always face critics whose mission is to find faults, cite mistakes, and point out flaws. In these moments, you must remember the reason you are in a place of leadership. To believe in yourself and your ability is to trust that you have come this far because you can succeed. If you are to be great, you must first convince yourself you can be great.

Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes the small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak and esteem to all. — George Washington

During the Revolutionary War, the American effort for Independence from Great Britain hung on 2 factors.  The first was the Continental Congress which worked to create a government and raise money for the new Republic and the second was the Continental Army, commanded by George Washington.  Washington faced a daunting task.  He was pitted against the greatest military power the world had even known, the British Empire with a seemingly unlimited amount of ships, troops, weapons, commanders, and money.  Yes, Washington was a good general, but there was 1 of him and about 50 British Generals who had gained experience fighting Spain, France, and the Native Americans.

To win the war, Washington understood that it was crucially important to win the public relations battle in the colonies.  Namely, he had to make sure his army was never totally defeated.  If his army was totally defeated and he was forced to surrender, there would be no army to replace him and the the colonists would lose heart.  So even though he was willing to lose battles, he always made sure he avoided fights that would lead him to total disaster.  He figured if he kept the army in the field, in the fight, then the colonists would stay hopeful, and the Continental Congress would have an easier time raising money.

History proved Washington right.  France intervened and matched Britain’s resources and helped win the war.  Even in an extremely difficult situation, and even when you’re losing – there is something important about keeping an army in the field.  Leaders with more brains and less power can outlast opponents/situations with more power