Success Comes from Motivation - The Extraordinary Motivation Secrets of an Outstanding Leader

Author: John Bardin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The Greeks were brave and skilled in battle, excelling in strategic deployment and tactical maneuvers. They knew how to fight as a unified force, using specially designed large swords and shields to form impenetrable phalanx formations. In battle, they possessed an advantage unmatched by any other army: their leader, Xenophon, always charged forward in the thick of the fray, never retreating on the blood-soaked battlefield. He always made the right decisions in combat. Moreover, Xenophon was not just a valiant warrior but also a brilliant strategist. He led the Ten Thousand Ironclads out of Persia, crossing vast deserts, mountains, and canyons, and reaching the sea where they could safely sail home. Amazingly, when Xenophon returned home, very few soldiers had died in the Ten Thousand Ironclads, and the majority had safely returned to their homeland. Historian Victor David Hanson did not believe the Greek nation was significantly superior to other peoples, but he attributed Xenophon's victory to Greek culture. This culture, which we now call shared values, common goals, or the motivational ability demonstrated by true leaders when advocating for these shared values, emerged again 2,400 years later.
A disaster struck the Earth again. The Malden Textile Company in Lowell, Massachusetts, was engulfed in flames, with many factories and office buildings destroyed. If the company's owner had been prudent, he would have filed an insurance claim and taken the $300 million in compensation to leave this unfortunate place. The owner was over 70 years old, and at the time, the textile business in New England was struggling. The owners of other textile companies in the region were looking for opportunities to leave. However, the owner of the Malden Textile Company, Allen Foerstien, did not do so. After the fire, he announced the reconstruction of the factories, which later became the familiar Ballysheen Woolen Mills. At the same time, he declared that all idle workers would not be laid off during the reconstruction and that he would continue to pay them their salaries. From then on, Allen was regarded as a hero, and his name spread widely in the United States. When asked about this incident, he simply said it was what he should do. But the reality was that if the company had to pay salaries while rebuilding the factory, the funds required would far exceed the insurance compensation. During the reconstruction, Allen took on significant financial risks.
A few years later, Allen found himself in a financial crisis, and the company was spending more than it was earning. At this time, the employees did not forget their boss's heroic gesture and wanted to repay him. They announced that they would continue to work overtime without demanding overtime pay and even voluntarily proposed reducing their own wages to help the company overcome its financial difficulties. This is a classic leadership case, proving that only true leaders use noble leadership art to inspire employees to work together with them to achieve a common goal. At the same time, employees, under the influence of their leader, also cultivate the spirit of a leader. Xenophon and Allen exemplify the two traits of a leader: personal charisma and organizational leadership ability. Leadership art is reflected in the dynamic leadership process, which can be material or spiritual, and the leader enables others to fully engage in it. Xenophon was elected as a general by the soldiers, and the spirit of his leadership, as described by historian Victor David Hanson, was called "spirit of advancing democracy." A leader's leadership art can influence the entire team, and the members, inspired by their leader, actively complete tasks in accordance with the leader's guidance rather than passively following orders. Team success depends on making the right decisions at the right time. Allen stepped up when the company faced a crisis and bravely took on risks. A few years later, when the company encountered another risk, his employees also demonstrated their leadership talent by voluntarily sacrificing their own interests to keep the company operating normally.
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