The document summarizes 10 leadership principles of Genghis Khan based on a biography, as well as an interpretation of those principles for modern times. It also discusses 9 leadership principles from Genghis Khan according to Forbes magazine's interpretation of the same biography. The principles highlighted include rewarding loyalty, being austere, exercising self-control, finding and using talent wherever possible, killing enemies without compunction, opposing cruelty, adapting to new ways of ruling, knowing you have divine backing, making followers believe it too, and respecting freedom of belief.

1. 铁
木
真
10 LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
The Genghis Khan way

2. Greatest leader ever?
• The empire he founded became the largest
contiguous empire in history, after his demise. His
empire, which extended from China to Afghanistan
to Hungary, was about 12 million sq. miles.
• Brought the silk route under one cohesive political
environment.
• Born Temujin around 1162 and about 0.5% of the
world’s male population carries his DNA.
• Buried in an unmarked grave, in an unknown
location.

3. The tri-variate
• Genghis
ran
his
Corruption or paranoia
conquests, his kingdom
and life by creating a
delicate balance between
the constant pulls of
corruption or paranoia, the
probability of losing reins
of power and allowing
events to dictate his
agenda.
• This
maintenance
of
equilibrium in a way
shaped him to be the
Losing reins of power
Allowing events
leader that he evolved to
to dictate
be.
agenda

4. Reward loyalty
Historical context
• Genghis remembered
generous acts of people that
he interacted with. He
honoured the brave and
loyal, regardless of their
status.
• Once convinced of a person’s
loyalty, he delegated large
responsibilities.
Modern day interpretation
• This perhaps is an easy one.
A leader in the modern age
(like any other time) needs to
be able to reward loyalty.
But, as important is locating
people who will be are
willing to be loyal. These
people could easily be part of
an inner team or be spread
out across your larger team
or enterprise. These are
people who will pick up your
burden and also make you
look good.

5. Be austere
Historical context
Modern day
interpretation
• He despised luxury, and
honoured
simplicity. • There
are
many
People say that he would
examples of people who
give the shirt off his back
espouse simplicity; The
to a Mongol in need.
Mahatma, Steve Jobs
and Warren Buffet are
rather famous examples.
• In modern times, it is
less about wealth or
luxuries, but more about
simplicity of living as
such.

6. Exercise self control
Historical context
• Of his many extraordinary
qualities was the fact that he
used to seldom lose his temper
and also did allow others their
say.
Modern day interpretation
• In our times, and always
moderation and self control
are ideals to be cherished.
• Krishna, or the Mahatma
would be two examples to
espouse.
• Calmness
of
the
mind, obviously is helpful
and many leaders get to that
state either with meditation
or picking up a stress buster
set of regular exercises.

7. Find talent where you can, and use it
Historical context
• Under his reign, enemies became
officers in his administration or
army; herdsmen rose to be
generals too. There were many
non-Mongols who served under
him
Modern day interpretation
• This is interesting. People
usually
gravitate
towards
people who are loyal (or
seemingly so) to promote or
elevate.
• But leaders do, and should pick
their team members from
competition, from inside their
own teams and also from
completely different industries.
• People with intelligence and
talent are able to easily jump
the chasm formed by difference
in domains.

8. Kill enemies without compunction
Historical context
• He never forgot a favour, but
also never forgave an insult.
He was merciless, once
convinced of disloyalty.
Modern day interpretation
• This sounds more politics
related and is. No enterprise
or company of some size is
bereft
of
some
manipulation, games and
politics.
• It is only silly not to play
these games once you are in
the middle of them.
• A large part of the learning is
to nullify obstacles ; that is
people (inside or outside
your
organization)
or
organizations who work
against your goal.

9. Oppose cruelty
Historical context
Modern day
interpretation
• Though he did order mass
killings of those who • This perhaps would get
opposed
or
insulted
interpreted somewhat in
him, no one ever accused
a different context.
him of cruelty.
• Arrogance while on the
ascent is a negative
virtue to carry.

10. Adapt and be open to new ways of ruling
Historical context
• Though
totally
illiterate, over time he
evolved and learned from
many of the vanquished. An
example would be getting
record keeping done, and
starting to put processes in
his administration. This
evolution happened as his
kingdom grew in size.
Modern day interpretation
• Simply about nimbleness
and agility in times of
change. Whether one is
able to adapt to change
and modify one’s thoughts
and ways of working. Or
even how ready one is to
appreciate and go with
new paradigms. What does
not matter is in-depth
knowledge of the agencies
of change, right up front.

11. Know that you have divine backing
Historical context
• Foreign rulers just had to
acknowledge and understand
this “truth” and all would be
well for them.
Modern day interpretation
• Lets modify this to have a
sponsor backing. It does not
matter whether one is at the
helm of an organization or
leading a group of just two
people; it does not matter
whether you are working for
someone else or yourself.
You need to have a sponsor.
Many a times you will need
to use derived authority to
push your ideas and actions
through.

12. Make your followers and heirs believe it too
Historical context
• His followers
acknowledged the
heavenly diktat and saw
success along with the
Khan.
Modern day
interpretation
• A large part of the
concept
of
derived
authority is to ensure
that teams and other
people who surround
you accept the sponsor
as a higher authority.

13. Respect freedom of belief
Historical context
• He was known to listen to
advice, and also to all
those who acknowledged
the divine backing.
Modern day
interpretation
• This principle perhaps
has more to do with
– Respecting an individual
– And being open to
thoughts other than one’s
own.
• This would require the
leader to have an open
mind and allow others to
challenge a thought.

14. Genghis Khan’s principles of leadership
So, to summarize
1. Reward loyalty
2. Be austere
3. Exercise self control
4. Find talent where you can, and use it
5. Kill enemies without compunction
6. Oppose cruelty
7. Adapt, and be open to new ways of ruling
8. Know that you have divine backing
9. Make your followers and heirs believe it too
10. Respect freedom of belief
These leadership principles are based on John Man’s biography of Genghis Khan. However, the interpretations are our own.

15. In a similar tone, the Forbes magazine says…
• The Forbes magazine interprets Jack Weatherford’s biography
of Genghis Khan to mention the following as Genghis’ nine
leadership principles
– Have an end in mind
• “For the Mongol warrior, there was no such thing as individual honor in
battle if the battle was lost. As Genghis Khan reportedly said, there is no
good in anything until it is finished.”
– Lead from the front
• “When it was wet, we bore the wet together, when it was cold, we bore the
cold together.”
– Serve a greater good than yourself
• “[A leader] can never be happy until his people are happy.”
– Have a vision
• “Without the vision of a goal, a man cannot manage his own life, much less
the lives of others…The ancients had a saying: ‘Unity of purpose is a fortune
in affliction.”

16. The Forbes magazine says…
• The leadership principles per Forbes magazine’s
interpretation of Weatherford’s biography of Genghis
– Be self-reliant
• “No friend is better than your own wise heart! Although there are many
things you can rely on, no one is more reliable than yourself. Although
many people can be your helper, no one should be closer to you than
your own consciousness. Although there are many things you should
cherish, no one is more valuable than your own life.”
– Be humble
• “The mastery of pride, which was something more difficult, he
explained, to subdue than a wild lion. He warned them that, ‘If you
can’t swallow your pride, you can’t lead.’”
– Be moderate
• “People conquered on different sides of the lake should be ruled on
different sides of the lake.”

17. The Forbes magazine says…
• The leadership principles per Forbes magazine’s
interpretation of Weatherford’s biography of Genghis
– Understand your people
• “The vision should never stray far from the teaching of the
elders. The old tunic fits better and it always more comfortable; it
survives the hardships of the bush while the new or untried tunic
is quickly torn.”
– Change the word, but change it gradually
• “At no single, crucial moment in his life did he suddenly acquire
his genius at warfare, his ability to inspire the loyalty of his
followers, or his unprecedented skill for organizing on a global
scale. These derived not from epiphanic enlightenment or formal
schooling but from a persistent cycle of pragmatic
learning, experimental adaptation and constant revision driven
by his uniquely disciplined mind and focused will.”

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