Thanks, Sparta…

In 480 B.C. King Xerxes led his Persian army into the “hot gates” at Thermopylae where they met and destroyed thousands of Greeks including 300 Spartan sires. The Persians won the battle. King Leonidas of Sparta led the 300 on this suicide mission to “STAND & die.” And die they did at the sword of mighty Persia.

All Americans should study the Greeks and in particular the Spartans. Our founders did. Our founders understood we owed a debt of gratitude to Sparta and her most prized product. You see, Sparta produced men. Study their women, however, if you want to get to the real root of this virtuous people. Study the Spartan women.

The Greeks, inspired by the standard of valor set by the 300, defeated Xerxes later that year at Salamis and saved Western democracy from dying while yet in the cradle. Without this our founders would have had no framework to study, no model to learn from, and no courage to be gained from a tiny nation taking a STAND against a world super-power.

The root problem in every business with which I have the privilege to work is an abundance of weak, neutered, survive at all cost kinda bullshit artists. And, the saddest part is these folks don’t even know it; they’ve bought their own bullshit. They think it’s manly to manipulate for personal gain and play “quick & dirty” politics and poker with other peoples lives. This environment, devoid of deep trust, produces a tax of time on the system. CYA kinda culture adds more meetings and less decisions. Time. Products suffer. Customer service is cut.

Symptoms carry the day, while roots continue, quietly to decay…

Today, study some history; namely your own. Root out your cowardice, your avarice, and take a STAND. Stop excusing yourself. Stop blaming the culture. Stop wondering if you’ll stand alone. Stop hoping somebody else will do it. Become one of the few. STAND. Remember, throughout history it’s always been a few saving us all.

Thanks, Sparta for modeling the way…