Julius Caesar, who lived 100-44 BC, is known as a highly successful political and military leader, whose career led him to the summit of the organisation he worked for, the Roman Republic. However, obtaining results is not enough for a successful leadership career.
Promotions also rely on the subjective evaluations of followers, stakeholders and career decision-makers. A strong leadership or personal brand influences such perceptions positively; a brand reflects the emotional attachment to an individual leader, which reassures followers that they have chosen the right person to follow or prompts decision makers to promote this person over another candidate. This brand is influenced by the leader's values and vision, as well as the experiences the organisation or followers have had with the leader over time.
If done well, the brand creates a positive label that remains in force over an extended period, often over the duration of a career. Caesar's brand strongly contributed to his career success. As such, it is helpful to benchmark your own career against his.
Caesar's leadership brand was based on values and delivering on these values. At the same time, a brand only works if it is marketed. Caesar's success, therefore, was also the result of making sure that everyone knew he delivered.
Make clear what you stand for
Caesar built his brand on three core values: clemency, people first, and transparency for good government. He steadfastly and consistently spoke and acted according to these values, inspiring his followers and stakeholders with his unwavering commitment.
Clemency: Caesar wanted to be a forgiving leader. In battle, he meant to treat defeated enemies or those who surrendered fairly and generously. Towards his adversaries in politics, it meant no hard feelings after an agreement was reached or to those who had competed with Caesar in elections. And in battle, he was forgiving. He demonstrated this to his soldiers, the Gauls, the citizens of Rome and the senators who visited him during the winter months.
Serving the interests of his followers and stakeholders: Caesar believed that he should reward his followers with career opportunities. For his soldiers, he wanted to make sure that they were paid and taken care of once retired. The Roman citizens, who voted for his laws and elected him to office, should be protected and their livelihood assured.
Good government through transparency: Caesar was convinced that records and information were the best guarantee that the order of law was adhered to and that personal interests and corruption would be banned from government
Takeaway: For modern leaders this means finding out what you stand for and to formulate it in a set of values. Not too many, 2-4 would do. Best decided early in your career, so that you can build a consistent brand over time.
Deliver as promised
Clemency: Compared to his contemporaries and common practice, Caesar most of the time was able to reduce the usual killing and plundering after a victory. He usually let this happen when enemies betrayed a previous agreement. During the civil war, he gave many defeated political enemies jobs in his administration and let them keep their possessions. He consciously burned the correspondence of defeated leaders without reading them.
Serving the interests of his followers and stakeholders: During the nine years it took Caesar to conquer Rome, he regularly let military officers return to Rome to be elected to magistracy, so that their careers would not suffer from being away too long. He even did this when those officers were dearly needed for the military campaign. He delivered on his promises to his soldiers that they would be well paid for their efforts. For those who retired, he made sure that the state gave them a plot of land to farm or settled them in one of the colonies he founded outside of Italy.
In Rome, he invested in public works and buildings that created jobs and made the city more beautiful. Also, city-dwellers could benefit from land distribution for a better life. During the difficult period of the civil war, although busy waging war, he took measures to secure the food supply and stabilise the economy. Caesar's victories in battle and conquests not only were a source of pride for the people but also increased the state's income.
Caesar thus built a track record of performance, solidifying his brand of reliability. It spurred his followers and soldiers to give their best and stay loyal to their leader. There were moments in Caesar's career when he was less able to meet objectives. In those cases, he doubled down on his efforts to bring about an exceptional performance in his next job, to wipe his mediocre performance from public memory, preventing it from tarnishing his brand of success.
Good government through transparency: Caesar's commitment to transparency was a key aspect of his leadership. He introduced public records of the Senate's meetings, making the otherwise closed body's proceedings accessible to all. He also passed a law obliging provincial governors to maintain records, fostering a culture of accountability and inclusion.
Takeaway: Values only work in a leaders' favour when backed up by performance. As you become more senior, you have more leverage to set your own priorities. Choose those priorities that allow you to deliver as promised, i.e. demonstrating consistency with your values.
Show and tell what you do
Communication: Caesar was innovative in his communication. He used images and speeches at his aunt's and his wife's funerals to express a political message and build his leadership brand. He restored the monuments commemorating the military victories of his uncle Marius, who had fallen out of grace, to the same effect.
When Caesar was responsible for organising shows and games, he not only made sure that they were spectacular, but he also built anticipation – and ensured that he got all the credit – by displaying illustrations of the shows in the city centre in advance. This strategic communication played a significant role in shaping the perception of Caesar and his values.
He was the first to write about his military campaigns, starting in Gaul, as an embedded journalist. The people in Rome were delighted by his reports. Caesar did not miss the opportunity to explain how he applied his values in practice. The perception of a capable leader firmly positioned Caesar. He could rely on an army willing to follow their general who was a winner. The Roman citizens were happy to see him stand for election.
Distinguish yourself from others: Members of the Roman elite constantly vied for position and office. Caesar was faced with intense competition, notably from Marcus Cato, a peer of Caesar's generation. Whereas Caesar's brand was based on clemency and delivering, Cato became known for his austerity and severity. Caesar's ambition was to demonstrate his talents through leadership. Cato was driven by a desire to be virtuous and uncompromising.
Both were successful in constructing a personal brand to support their careers. Moreover, having opposing brands helped both in gaining support. Cato's unyielding conservatism made it easier for Caesar to position himself as the leader of progress and reform. Caesar's consistent promotion of the interests of the people made it easier for Cato to be perceived as the force of reason. Their rivalry lasted throughout their careers until they found themselves on opposing ends during the civil war, with Cato drawing the shorter straw.
Takeaway: As with any type of brand, a leadership brand needs to be communicated so that a leader becomes recognisable and gets a positive response from stakeholders. Find ways to explain what you do and why you do it and how it supports your values. Make sure that your achievements are visible and known. Remember, the case for your next promotion is built during your current job.
Overall, Caesar is famous for the things he did, however, to be able to obtain these sorts of results a leader first needs to be in a position where they can achieve this. This requires career development, something which is supported by a strong leadership brand.
Learning from Julius Caesar
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What do I stand for, and have I made sure that my followers and stakeholders know?
- What measurable results have I achieved that underscore my brand?
- What have I done to make that performance visible? How have I measured that stakeholders and decision makers are aware of my achievements?
