Power Ambition Glory
The Stunning Parallels Between Great Leaders of the Ancient World and Today...and the Lessons You Can Learn
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Narrated by:
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Alan Sklar
About this listen
Great leaders not only have vision but know how to build structures to effect it. Cyrus the Great did so in creating an empire based on tolerance and inclusion, an approach highly unusual for his or any age. Jack Welch and John Chambers built their business empires using a similar approach, and like Cyrus, they remain the exceptions rather than the rule.
Great leaders know how to build consensus and motivate by doing what is right rather than what is in their self-interest. Xenophon put personal gain aside to lead his fellow Greeks out of a perilous situation in Persia---something very similar to what Lou Gerstner and Anne Mulcahy did in rescuing IBM and Xerox.
Character matters in leadership. Alexander the Great had exceptional leadership skills that enabled him to conquer the eastern half of the ancient world, but he was ultimately destroyed by his inability to manage his phenomenal success. The corporate world is full of similar examples, such as the now incarcerated Dennis Kozlowski, who, flush with success at the head of his empire, was driven down the highway of self-destruction by an out-of-control ego. ---A great leader is one who challenges the conventional wisdom of the day and is able to think outside the box to pull off amazing feats. Hannibal did something no one in the ancient world thought possible: he crossed the Alps in winter to challenge Rome for control of the ancient world. That same innovative way of thinking enabled Serge Brin and Larry Page of Google to challenge and best two formidable competitors, Microsoft and Yahoo!
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Editorial reviews
The CEO of Forbes Media and a Classics Professor come together to draw common lessons from great leaders of ancient and modern times in Power Ambition Glory.
Given a muscular, booming reading by Alan Sklar, Steve Forbes and John Prevas look at the lives of classical figures like Hannibal and Alexander the Great compare their “management styles” to those of the CEOs of Walmart and Hewlett Packard. Great leaders in both eras, the authors observe, unite diverse factions and look beyond their own egos to achieve their goals.
Sklar’s deep voice and assertive reading personify the alpha-male tactics that this book extols.
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- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 2 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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When we think of ancient Rome, the first notion that comes to mind is the one of the empire, followed by the image of a mighty emperor, his legions, colossal buildings, and the Gladiators (or the rhetoric and poetry, depending on your preferences). Some may recall the image of a “unified” Europe under a single sovereign - the emperor of Rome. However, Rome did not become remarkable at this considerably late phase. In fact, many historians see the history of Rome under the Emperors as a long, gradual decline. It was during the republic that Rome gained an empire.
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SERIOUSLY bad, 3rd grade reading level.
- By Jake on 02-26-19
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Marathon
- The Battle That Changed Western Civilization
- By: Richard A. Billows
- Narrated by: Jeremy Gage
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Published to coincide with Marathon's 2500th anniversary, a riveting history of the historic battle. The Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. is not only understood as the most decisive event in the struggle between the Greeks and the Persians, but can also be seen as perhaps the most significant moment in our collective history. 10,000 Athenian citizens faced a Persian military force of more than 25,000.
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Effectively evokes the world of ancient greece
- By Aaron on 11-02-10
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The Silk Roads
- A New History of the World
- By: Peter Frankopan
- Narrated by: Laurence Kennedy
- Length: 24 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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It was on the Silk Roads that East and West first encountered each other through trade and conquest, leading to the spread of ideas, cultures, and religions. From the rise and fall of empires to the spread of Buddhism and the advent of Christianity and Islam, right up to the great wars of the 20th century - this book shows how the fate of the West has always been inextricably linked to the East.
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An Absolutely SUPERB Book for Lovers of History
- By Dipam on 06-27-21
By: Peter Frankopan
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The Fall of the Roman Empire
- A New History of Rome and the Barbarians
- By: Peter Heather
- Narrated by: Allan Robertson
- Length: 21 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The death of the Roman Empire is one of the perennial mysteries of world history. Now, in this groundbreaking book, Peter Heather proposes a stunning new solution: Centuries of imperialism turned the neighbors Rome called barbarians into an enemy capable of dismantling an Empire that had dominated their lives for so long. A leading authority on the late Roman Empire and on the barbarians, Heather relates the extraordinary story of how Europe's barbarians, transformed by centuries of contact with Rome on every possible level, eventually pulled the empire apart.
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A New HIstory but not a better history
- By Mario on 03-28-14
By: Peter Heather
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Ten Caesars
- Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine
- By: Barry Strauss
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 12 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling classical historian Barry Strauss tells the story of three-and-a-half centuries of the Roman Empire through the lives of 10 of the most important emperors, from Augustus to Constantine.
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Good for beginners
- By Richferguson1 on 03-01-20
By: Barry Strauss
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Saudi, Inc.
- The Arabian Kingdom's Pursuit of Profit and Power
- By: Ellen R. Wald PhD
- Narrated by: Paul Ansdell
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Over more than a century, fed by ambition and oil wealth, al Saud (as the royal family is known) has come from having next to nothing to ruling as absolute monarchs. Their story starts with Saudi Arabia's founder, the lowly refugee Abdul Aziz, embarking on a daring gambit to reconquer his family's ancestral home: the mud-walled city of Riyadh. And it ends with al Saud's most ambitious move yet: taking Aramco, the multinational business that has made them the wealthiest family in the world, public.
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Excellent modern history of Saudi Arabia
- By Rob Hafen on 05-31-18
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The Rise of Athens
- The Story of the World's Greatest Civilization
- By: Anthony Everitt
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 16 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Filled with tales of adventure and astounding reversals of fortune, The Rise of Athens celebrates the city-state that transformed the world - from the democratic revolution that marked its beginning through the city's political and cultural golden age to its decline into the ancient equivalent of a modern-day university town. Anthony Everitt constructs his history with unforgettable portraits of the talented, tricky, ambitious, and unscrupulous Athenians who fueled the city's rise.
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Good but not great. With some disturbing opinions.
- By Anthony on 06-25-19
By: Anthony Everitt
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Destiny Disrupted
- A History of the World through Islamic Eyes
- By: Tamim Ansary
- Narrated by: Tamim Ansary
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Until about 1800, the West and the Islamic realm were like two adjacent, parallel universes, each assuming itself to be the center of the world while ignoring the other. As Europeans colonized the globe, the two world histories intersected and the Western narrative drove the other one under. The West hardly noticed, but the Islamic world found the encounter profoundly disrupting.
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A history of the world before the West mattered
- By David on 05-05-14
By: Tamim Ansary
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The Corporation That Changed the World
- How the East India Company Shaped the Modern Multinational
- By: Nick Robins
- Narrated by: Simon Barber
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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The English East India Company was the mother of the modern multinational. Its trading empire encircled the globe, importing Asian luxuries such as spices, textiles, and teas. But it also conquered much of India with its private army and broke open China's markets with opium. The Company's practices shocked its contemporaries and still reverberate today.
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Not what I expect from a history book
- By Bobby on 10-09-18
By: Nick Robins
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Antony & Cleopatra
- By: Adrian Goldsworthy
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 17 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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In this remarkable dual biography of the two great lovers of the ancient world, Adrian Goldsworthy goes beyond myth and romance to create a nuanced and historically acute portrayal of his subjects, set against the political backdrop of their time. A history of lives lived intensely at a time when the world was changing profoundly, this audiobook takes listeners on a journey that crosses cultures and boundaries, from ancient Greece and ancient Egypt to the Roman Empire.
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Very good
- By Kdmd on 02-23-16
What listeners say about Power Ambition Glory
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Sapient
- 05-10-19
Excellent Read
This book was a requirement for an academic course. In the beginning I was not thrilled to read it, but as the pages turned (I have the book as well, purchased audio for multitasking purposes) I found myself intrigued by relation of past leaders and today's corporate culture. This is a great read for anyone, because we all lead in some capacity.
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Overall
- George Methvin
- 03-15-11
Wow, what a history lesson
I totally enjoined the book. Ancient history by John Prevas coupled with Steve Forbes commentary on recent history then tyeing it all together in a understandable and motivating book. Brilliant.
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Overall
- Roy
- 03-27-10
Historical Anecdotes
As an admirer of Steve Forbes with an interest in leadership I gravitated to this book and I was not disappointed. The strength of this book does not come from insights into leadership, per se. Rather, the book informs us about ancient leaders and the situations they encountered. Those incidents and stories are juxtaposed with the experiences of contemporary industrial titans. Parallels are drawn and generalizations presented. The book was well written, thoughtfully organized, and read. It is worth your time.
I have two observations about the book. First, in the first quarter of the book the reader pauses between (it seems) every paragraph read. That was a bit distracting for me personally. However, that changes later and the problem goes away. Second, the book seems like two books - one on ancient leadership and one on contemporary leadership. I would like to see a more expanded thoughtful book on the ancient leaders by John Prevas. I would also be interested in more stories and comment from Mr. Forbes related to contemporary leadership in this environment.
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5 people found this helpful