Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts

Author:Wess Roberts [Roberts, Wess]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BUS071000
ISBN: 9780446535496
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2007-10-15T05:00:00+00:00

ATTILA ON: “PAYING AND RECEIVING DEFERENCE”

It is noble to accord the proper courtesy and recognition of stature to one in an office over you. And it is wise to pay deference to your peers and subordinates as well.

If a chieftain does not command the respect of his Huns and that of his foes, he is weak and held to be undeserving of his title.

Respect may be born of fear, real or perceived, as in my notoriety as “the Scourge of God.” When deference is born of fear, however, it results in an unwillingness to serve and becomes manifested as passive resistance to authority and purpose. It further leads to subversion, to sabotage and to generally low morale among those you are attempting to lead.

Real deference results in unyielding loyalty—a tribe full of spirit and willing to follow their chieftain into the mouth of hell, if necessary, for the cause of the nation.

A chieftain's office is accepted by all as a position of greater privileges because of increased responsibilities. Who of you would aspire to such an office if it brought no greater merit or privilege than that of an ordinary Hun?

Our system of deference prescribes recognized advantages as reward for effort, enterprise and accomplishment. The Hunnish people will acknowledge the privilege attending our various offices of leadership only so long as the demanded deference is reasonable and poses no harm to them. They are willing to grant such deference to those brave enough to lead the way. For they themselves see such respect as a cheap price to pay someone else to take on the responsibilities of leadership.

I must caution you, however, there are subtle aspects of paying and receiving deference that will make the deciding difference in one who leads by notoriety and one who leads with nobility. My words of counsel are:

Always accept the responsibility and privilege of your office seriously. Never should you exercise your authority to the disadvantage of your subordinates. Never should you exact more privilege from your office than your subordinates are willing to grant.

You are your reputation! If people speak evil of you, erroneously attribute misdeeds to you and will not serve a greater purpose, you must do away with those adversaries or you must behave in a manner that will encourage them to amend their judgments. It isn't easy being the Scourge of God, but it has its advantages in dealing with the enemy. Among my own people, however, I seek no such reputation. For if they perceived me as having such a wicked intent, I would not long serve as their king.

The king may use his fury and power to gain tribute from the enemy; however, a chieftain has no such privilege. Although, as king, I must rely on my chieftains to wisely use their power to influence the actions of their Huns, I, Attila, will hastily remove any chieftain who supposes similar influence over me.

Never should a chieftain fret over privilege. The responsibilities of office should always prevail. Deference comes to the chieftain who does not seek it for the sake of privilege alone.

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