Alexander THE Great (353-326 B.C.) is widely known as the only human to conquer the WORLD. He became King at 20 and won most of his major victories before his 25th b-day. I guess you could say he was on the fast track. Here’s something you might find interesting…
He had two executive coaches during his run to the top.
Yup. Even world conquerers need a helping hand. According to Steven Pressfield in his book, The Virtues of War, his coaches didn’t help him discover his strengths, didn’t help his understand his hardwiring, didn’t help him refine his freakin’ crazy big dream for Macedonia, didn’t help him with his communications skills, and didn’t help him understand the strategy nor the tactics of battle.
What a couple worthless lightweights he had beside him. All his coaches taught him were two rather simple things. Here they are. Do NOT miss ’em.
Aristotle taught Alexander to REASON.
Telamon taught him to ACT.
Whatever you are learning from your mentors, your coaches, your peers, your teams, and from your life experiences you will benefit from applying some good old fashioned logic and, as always, more ACTION.
AND, don’t forget to add Pressfield’s take on Alexander THE Greats greatest strength…”In strategy and tactics, even in valor, other commanders may be my equal. But in this, none surpass me: the measure of my LOVE for my comrades. I love even those who call themselves my enemies. Alone meanness and malice I despise. But the foe who stands with gallantry, him I draw to my breast, dear as a brother.”
REASON and ACTION inspired and fueled by LOVE. Head. Hands. HEART…
We could sure use a little more of all three today. Instead we have an abundance of irrational bailing, inconsistent and often unproductive action, and way too much FEAR.
What would Telamon tell you today?
BUILT TO LEAD 
Well, as his coach, I would have been able to have Alex see clearly that his top five talent themes were, probably in this order: “Strategic,” “Activator,” “Learner,” “Command,” and “Relator.”
Further, working with me he would have been able to gain real CLARITY regarding his signature strengths, one of which would have sounded something like this:
“I feel strong when I am on the move, traveling to new cities, developing a new generation of young leaders whose OPUS is to transform citizens’ worldviews leveraging Hellenistic principles.”
Had Alex lived long enough to take his team through BUILT TO LEAD practice sessions, he would have learned through the TrustTracker (TM) that personal, ethical, and strategic trust were not his issues; his lack of situational trust, though, would bring problems later on. His team, if they had been “BUILT TO LEAD,” would have learned that “together, we improve” is more than just a tagline and have avoided the messy squabbles that broke up Alex’s empire/enterprise in the next generation.
So, you’re right, Chet; those two guys Ari and Teli WERE worthless lightweights, and short-sighted, to boot!
;-D