THE LEADERSHIP SECRETS OF GENGHIS KHAN

THE LEADERSHIP SECRETS

OF

GENGHIS KHAN

JOHN MAN

Transworld Publishers 2009

Pp 184    £10.99

There comes a time perhaps, when mankind gets totally bereft of goodness and turns to evil forces to look for virtue in them. That would be a terrible phase in human history… so full with violence and terror that we will scrounge for quality in crime? Alexander Pope was certainly prophetic when he wrote: “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, / As to be hated needs but to be seen. / Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, / We first endure, then pity, then embrace.” (Essay on Man, 1733).  

Has that terrible phase begun? With works on Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan behind him, John Man comes to us probing into the heat oppressed brain of the self-same Genghis Khan to learn his secrets of leadership. In the short introduction to his 40-book bibliography, Man also finds traces of emotional intelligence (Goleman et al) and talent (a la Collins Good to Great): Wow! John Milton will be quite embarrassed to know that his attempts at glorifying Lucifer were not quite up to this level.

The basic source of information in the study of this “brilliant military commander” is The Secret History of the Mongols: A Mongolian Epic Chronicle of the 13^th Century by Igor de Rachewiltz (2004) and Genghis Khan: His Life And Times by Paul Ratchnevsky (1991). What exactly does John Man find in Genghis?  There’s vision somewhere hidden in all his ruthless rampaging over Asia and parts of Europe; there’s virtue discernible to Man in Genghis’ idea of getting the right people, and getting rid of the wrong ones fast. Slicing them up, perhaps? Delegation and the practice of rewarding success are some of the other virtues. He also dealt ruthlessly with failure, and always learnt from it. He killed his half-brother in a fit of rage. His mother reprimanded him … and he learned to accept correction! Man!

There is a strong continual attempt throughout the book to justify the out and out cruelty that Genghis is famous for. It was, says the author, a continual jugglery of life and death for Genghis – a situation of shifting alliances where trust and treachery were equally vital. If one were to justify both, says Man, it would need “magical social skills” coupled with “high & flexible sense of morality.” One would agree with the flexible morals, but magical social skills? Brandishing a scimitar doesn’t need much of social finesse.

Genghis no doubt rose from nothing to clan chief to tribal ruler to king to emperor. Kudos to that. He was also known to be a great administrator – but John Man has not much to say about that. He attempts to probe into how the man (not the marauder) evolved as he moved up each level. Man says Genghis was an exception to Peter’s Principle – because he improved his competence at each level – he had a “planned agenda ruthlessly executed.” Executed is perhaps the perfect word in this context. But Man insists that there other aspects – character traits, choices, behaviour patterns, strategic decisions that fit many aspects of modern leadership theory.

In furtherance of the theory that Genghis was compelled to do what he did, Man justifies, Genghis’ attitudes were of his time: “he managed to do what countless despots aspired and failed to do.” His were not inexplicable random acts of rage but of careful thought; it is not mere destruction he was after, but destruction for a purpose. Genghis’ claim to greatness, we are told, lies in his uncorrupted, inspirational, open-minded, curious, generous, persuasive nature. He was what could be called a ‘Situational leader.’ His order before launching an attack was to spare only children small enough to fit under a cart-axle. Now that is virtue indeed. Man lists four points of justification for such wanton genocide. One of these points is that the dire act ‘worked’. Nothing succeeds like success is one Americanism that comes to mind.

Incidentally, his strong point was delegation – with a difference! The sons of his commanders were appointed as his personal bodyguards - ostensibly; in truth they were hostages for their fathers’ good behaviour. Maybe this is all part of the ‘attitudes of his time’. And, oh, there are 21 lessons to be learnt from Genghis – apparently what stood him in good stead while acquiring and ruling an empire that was much larger than Alexander’s or the Roman Empire. Is Osama listening?