Page 25 - MS Year in Review 2020

CAUSES OF THE “READY-FIRE-AIM” LEADERSHIP

STRATEGY

There are at least three fundamental causes or contributing factors to motivate
leaders to adopt the “Ready-Fire-Aim” Leadership Strategy: 1) key behavioral

patterns or personality traits of leaders, 2) support from management theory, and
3) popular culture.

Key Behavioral Traits. First, there are certain aspects of behavior which are

characteristically associated with leaders or natural “Alphas.” Generally, the word
“alpha” is used to describe males as in the phrase “Alpha male.” However, there are
clear examples of “Alpha females” as well. For example, Boudica, a Celtic Warrior

Queen was clearly an Alpha female. In 60 A.D., she led a revolt by the Iceni tribe
(later joined by others) against the Romans. Although accounts vary, Boudica led

an army of more than 50,000 against the Romans. Her tribe, who lived in what is
now East Anglia, Britain, won initial major battles against the Romans and, in fact,
destroyed the IX (ninth) Roman legion, before she ultimately was defeated.

Although Boudica must have been a charismatic leader, she was not trained

extensively as a military strategist. She was, however, like other Celtic women of
the time, trained as a warrior and aware of their tactics. The sheer numbers of her
“Army” and their hatred of the Romans fueled by the latter’s outrages against

Boudica, her daughters, and the Celtic people as a whole, was initially sufficient to
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lead to a series of victories. Boudica’s army cleverly ambushed the IX Roman
legion and decimated it.

Her limitations as a military strategist became apparent when she battelled against
the Roman General Suetonius, who was recalled from what is now Wales to put
down the rebellion. Aware that Boudica’s army had ambushed and destroyed the

IX Roman Legion, and also aware that he was vastly outnumbered, Suetonius
withdrew from Londinium (present day London), leaving the city to Boudica’s
army. He retreated until he found a location which could neutralize the size

10 Boudica was the wife of a Celtic King or Chieftain. After his death, the Romans publicly flogged her
and raped her daughters. Understandably vengeful, Boudica led a revolt of her total tribe against the
Romans.

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