In Rome we will benchmark ourselves according to a time that was a breeding ground for great leaders, not because they were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, but because they had learned a lesson in realpolitik about what works in leadership. Books are still being written about these leaders for the leaders of today and we will see that what they learned coincides astoundingly with what modern theories about management teach us.

The power of storytelling focuses on what lies behind extreme result achievement in turbulent times of change. The myth connects important leaders of change to the few, divinely gifted individuals who changed the course of history. In reality, such magnificent leadership is neither rare nor mysterious. Viewing the leader as a storyteller highlights an exceptional type of result-based leadership. The results stem from a number of traits found in the leader: the ability to make a practical political analysis of situations, to create meaning for one’s followers, the skill of communicating fundamental values, and most importantly, the will to believe in and exemplify this in practice. It is here some leaders set themselves apart from many others.