“Either I conquer Istanbul
or Istanbul conquers me.” ―Mehmed the Conqueror
During the global lockdown,
I enjoyed watching the episodes of ‘Rise of Empires: Ottoman’ on Netflix. There
are several lessons the present leaders must learn especially from Mehmed II, the
Ottoman emperor.
Mehmed II was born on 30
March 1432. He was inspired by Alexander the Great. He was an intellectual who spoke
several languages including Persian, Arabic, Greek, and Italian. He was a
military genius. He had strategic thinking and effective PR. He was ambitious to
build a multi-ethnic society. He was a great orator and knew how to motivate
his people. He adopted unorthodox strategies, tactics, and tools to achieve the
impossible―conquering Constantinople (today named Istanbul). He had advanced
technology in those days. He attacked his enemies with massive cannonballs to
pound the walls during the Constantinople conquest. He understood his people
and enemies well and fought the battle accordingly. He fought the battle ferociously.
He was persistent when odds were stacked against him. He had rivals within his
army including Çandarlı Halil Paşa. He was aware that his daring attempt would
cost his life and throne. His leadership gamble paid off finally. He conquered Constantinople
on May 29, 1453 at the age of 21. He was poisoned to death on May 3, 1481. He
died at the age of 49 years.
Leadership
Lessons from the Ottoman emperor
“In order to see the
boundaries of the probabilities, need to try impossible.” ―Mehmed the Conqueror
Here are some leadership lessons
from the Ottoman emperor. Explore ways and means to win the battle even when
the odds are stacked against you with different strategies, tactics, and
techniques. Take feedback from reliable sources, and change your tactics
accordingly. Be secretive. Be positive. Be persistent. Be patient.
Mehmed the Conqueror was a
legendary Ottoman emperor who turned his scars into stars and left a great
legacy. A leader should have wisdom, strategy, instinct, and loyal people to
succeed. To conclude, understand your people, understand your competitors, and
communicate with your stakeholders clearly to succeed as a great leader.
“Tell your emperor; Where
my power has reached, Emperor's dreams cannot reach!” ―Mehmed the Conqueror
Share if you care!
Life is great!
Professor
M.S. Rao
Founder of MSR Leadership
Consultants, India
Thanks for reading!
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and comments below, I’m sure someone out there will find your story useful.
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