Category: Military

The Maginot Line and the Fall of France

Image by Jean-LouisBourgogne from Pixabay After their experiences in the first World War the British and French High Commands assumed that any new war with Germany would be similar to WW1 – a massive static engagement between two huge armies.  So the French built the Maginot Line, named after the French Minister of War, André Maginot.  It ran along the entire French border with Italy, Switzerland,... Read More--

Lessons in Innovation from Rome’s Arch Enemy

Hannibal (247 – 182 BC) was an illustrious general of the North African state of Carthage, Rome’s enemy and rival for control of the Mediterranean.  His father was a Carthaginian general, Hamilcar, who made his 9 year old son swear undying enmity for Rome.  As a boy Hannibal went to Spain, which was under Carthaginian control, and trained to be a soldier.  At the age of 26 he was put in command... Read More--

Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield

Business is not war. But if you are operating in a fierce marketplace then it can feel like it. Many of the methods we use in our sales campaigns, marketing strategies and competitive tactics are based on military analogies. So what lessons can business leaders today learn from the history of warfare? Here are some that seem particularly relevant. 1. David vs Goliath – 1000 BC? Goliath was a... Read More--