History as A problem Solver

In today’s high-tech virtual reality world, leaders tend to look only toward the future for answers. Perhaps they hope. Internet sales of their product will suddenly become their major source of revenue. Maybe technology will solve their staffing problems, or some yet-to-be-discovered chemical will bolster their stock price.

While a leader must indeed spend a large part of his or her time looking into the future, the astute leader also spends a good deal of time looking at the past. ( I subscribe to five history magazines)

History repeats itself-and always will-and in the process, offers the astute leader not only examples of how similar problems were tackled in the past but also insight and solutions into how they might be solved in the present.

One of my favorite Churchill quotes from World War II is this: “Mr. Hitler should study English history and contemplate his doom.” Britain had not been successfully attacked since 1066. Hitler could also have learned from Napoleon’s 1812 catastrophe just what a bad idea it was to attack Moscow in winter. Thankfully he did not.

We see Putin repeating the same mistake. Attacking during a muddy Spring hindered his rapid advance, stretching his supply lines and turning Kyiv into his Stalingrad. Thus failing to achieve his draconian objectives while murdering thousands.