Would you rather live one day as a lion or 100 years as a sheep?
A statement often attributed to Alexander the Great says, “An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep.” Today I found a variation of the same, saying: “An army of sheep led by a lion will always defeat an army of lions led by a sheep.” Do you agree or not?
I am aware it refers to the importance of leadership — a notion anyone who knows me knows I fully subscribe to. Many have believed that “a lion has great leadership, and while the army of lions may be stronger, the army of sheep led by a lion would have better strategy and support.” It is also believed that “the sheep doesn’t have great leadership and it doesn’t know how to lead the army, thus [the army of lions led by a sheep] would lose against an army of sheep led by a lion.”
While all this sounds nice, it reminds me of a book that my friend Dr Kate Coleman drew my attention to, titled “The Myth of the Strong Leader”. We often assume that a leader is a superman who manufactures miracles even with a team of highly incompetent, clueless and unmotivated individuals. But today, using the same analogy of lion and sheep, allow me quickly assert as follows:
- An army of sheep led by a lion can still fail. It depends on what kind of lion is taking lead. Not every lion does a good job. Actually, it can be as clueless as the sheep it is leading.
- An army of lions led by a sheep can succeed. It depends on the type of sheep in the lead. Not every sheep does a bad job. Actually, it can be as confident as it gets, wise enough to delegate some aspects of the operations to some competent lion!
So, here are three key observations in my mind right now:
- Leadership is situational. It is not a mathematical equation with clear-cut formulas e.g. Length x Width = Area. It is largely situational. Whoever manages to handle the situation well will lead more effectively. Not every situation requires the lion’s approach. When Benito Mussolini said, “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep”, Brian O’Sullivan responded: “Male lions are lazy sods. Female lions are fussy and hard working. Male lions defend the pride. Female lions do most of the hunting. As for the sheep, they eat grass… They give birth. They nurse their lambs. They eat more grass. It’s a pretty ‘chillaxing’ lifestyle apart from the birthing lambs. How is one day as a lion better than a thousand as a sheep? Only in terms of others’ perceived respect and admiration. And quite frankly I don’t care for anyone’s opinion. I just want to do my thing.”
- Appearance may be deceptive. The lion’s leadership may simply be confident dictatorship that bulldozes every other member of the jungle. On the other hand, the sheep may be a humble AND firm leader. You see, humility is not timidity. In leadership, it’s not easy to say “What you see is what you get.” That is not always true. And what matters is one being the best THEM, not transmogrifying themselves into another person. That could be the essence of what a one Zelda said, “I think being a sheep all your life is just fine, provided you live to your full sheep potential —- having family, giving wool, fulfilling stereotypes and all those wonderful things that sheep do… Yes, maybe sheep are followers (not sure; there must be some radical sheep). But, aren’t many humans followers? Yes, sheep aren’t magnificent, aggressive creatures like the lion, but they are gorgeous in their own way. We don’t fear sheep, but we fear lions because of their power, strength and ability to survive by attack.
As I find joy in each day, I would rather be a sheep for a lifetime than a lion for a day.” - Leadership is not static. What we’ve historically known about someone may have changed tremendously over the years. The sheep may no longer be as timid and stupid as we used to think. It may have maintained the looks but changed the substance on the inside. To know that the lion may not be as great as we have always made it to look like, wait until it carelessly sits on a red ant or meets a swarm of wasps! This is why new times require new thinking. Leadership may have historic principles that still operate but the world also has new realities that challenge the way we used to lead. Lions are not without weakness when it comes to adapting to new realities. On 7th July 2018, Nick Nicholas said, “They are territorial… when herbivores move off to find greener pastures, lions cannot follow them, which makes for tough times ahead for the lions as there are few prey animals left for parts of the year. If it is a particularly bad drought year during an El Nino cycle, then many lions starve as the dry season lasts much longer than usual.” Remember, ability to adapt is a huge component of leadership in changing times.
So does an army of sheep led by a lion always defeat an army of lions led by a sheep? Not ALWAYS. Maybe, some or most of the times – again depending on what kind of leader they have – but not all the time. Here, then, are three implications of all this discourse to all of us:
- Give people a benefit of doubt regardless of their looks. Leadership is not a beauty pageant or a wrestling contest. It is not about who has a bigger muscle, a tougher look or a perceived greater anointing!
- Better test people before you trust It may not be wise to just be swept off your feet by their appearances, talent, or self-assertion.
- Stick to the principles of leadership (and they are quite many solid ones) but also have the courage to question historical wisdom on leadership especially in light of the new realities. Venerable wisdom, when applied in a raw form without the applicable context, can also turn into a raw deal.
In conclusion, do you feel like a lion today? Here is a warning: don’t be overconfident because things can get worse for you, given the unfolding realities. Or do you feel like a sheep today? Here is an encouragement: don’t be too hard on yourself because things can get much better than they seem. Everyone needs to simply aim at being a better them. Whatever you are, today, be a better and more positive one. With time, you may surprise the world.
Live. Love. Lead.
#YouWillManage
