Power, Ambition, Glory:
The Stunning Parallels Between Great Leaders of the Ancient World and Today and the Lessons You Can Learn
by Steve Forbes and John Prevas

The news media have led the public to believe that the recent economic crisis has brought America into uncharted waters. The enormous government bailouts in today's staggering economy have turned all eyes to business and fiscal issues, the corporate world, and its leaders.

In their new book, Power, Ambition, Glory, Steve Forbes and John Prevas make make startling comparisons between past leaders and today's CEOs, reminding us that severe challenges have faced every powerful nation. Like other cultures and civilizations, America is in danger of losing its way. The two authors have bonded the past and present, displaying the wisdom of ancient civilizations to modern America.

Power, Ambition, Glory chronicles the lives of six major historical figures such as Cyrus the Great and Julius Caesar, comparing their attributes and leadership styles with Hank Greenburg (AIG), Ray Kroc (McDonalds), Jack Welch (GE), and John Chambers (Cisco). This book explains the true components of leadership: a great leader is one who challenges the conventional wisdom of the day and is able to think out of the box to pull off extraordinary feats.

Leadership is about remaining focused on the fundamentals, the nuts and bolts of making an organization work, day in and day out. Character matters in leadership as well as developing and maintaining a proper perspective about yourself.

In our era, one might ask, where have all the leaders gone? Everyone seems afraid to stand up and lead. There will always be men of ambition with a lust for glory and power, but individuals and society are capable of letting those desires consume them.

Historian David McCullough writes, "History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are." Those who look at the world today and say that we have never before faced perilous times have never studied history. Power, Ambition Glory helps to explain the actions of modern business tycoons and offers helpful lessons from the past.

(2009, Crown Business, 308 pps, $26)