An Analysis of Hannibal’s Good Qualities
The first good quality that is seen in Hannibal is the fact that he is self-confident and firmly believes in his military prowess. His confidence is seen right from the start in the way he leads his men. He believes in himself and this endears his men to him since this portrays the image of a leader who knows what he is doing. This is seen right from the start of the film. His confidence however does not make him prideful. In as much as he recognizes his strengths, he does not however put subordinate soldiers down throughout. This is seen in the respectful manner that he treats his men.
Another admirable quality that is seen in Hannibal is he has confidence in his military comrades. This quality is seen in the tasks that he assigns them from time to time. He does so in full belief that they will accomplish as they are been instructed. The tasks he gives them are also realistic and practical at all times. This makes the Hannibal a great team player due to the fact that he easily walks alongside and also fights alongside his men in battle.
Hannibal shares his military wisdom with those who follow him rather than just give them orders blindly. In the instance where he brings out two prisoners of war and orders them to fight to the death, it is not merely an entertainment tool but an illustration of the human will in the face of adversity. His narration in the background of this event brings out this point clearly. His years of experience taught him many lessons which he was glad to share with the less experienced soldiers.
Hannibal was a very creative leader and at the same time a critical thinker. When his troupe’s path is blocked by a huge boulder, he immediately hatches up a plan on how to subdue the rock. This is done by heating it with fire wood then pouring wine on it forcing it to split. It should be noted that had he not done this, he together with his men would have been forced to turn back. His quick thinking saved them the unnecessary journey.
Last but not least, Hannibal was a grand schemer and this is what enabled him to attain his greatest military feat. Prior to the battle of Cannae, Hannibal carefully scanned the battlefield to be and upon seeing that neither side would have an advantage, he decided to employ a never before seen approach that enabled his fewer men to encircle the Romans and hand them a humiliating defeat.
In today’s world, such skills can come in handy for executives who are at the helm of multinational organizations. This is because of the high stakes that are part and parcel of their jobs. Today’s main battlefield in this context is the global market whose conditions are complicated by issues such as economic crises, slowdowns, changes in demand patterns, political issues and also the technological aspect. At any given time, these variables could either pose as obstacles or in other cases offer a firm leverage. What matters in such situations is the direction the firm decides to take. The solutions required of these executives require confidence, team spirit, proper planning, creativity and also a lot of relevant information (which can only come about with experience).
Reference
Hannibal Rise and Fall (Uploaded 17 Sep 2012) Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VPkHytuyKQ on April 26, 2013
