Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun

The second grouping of chapters moves from broader concerns to more focused characteristics of good leadership practices. Chapter 4 focuses on morale and discipline, presenting them as realities that need to be recognized and provided for without becoming an undue focus of attention. On the one hand, morale is boosted in the wake of a victorious battle or in anticipation of the prospect of victory and the plundering that comes along with it. On the other hand, morale can be dampened in the face of defeat or, for the Huns, any other hardship that might befall a pre-modern confederation of nomadic tribes. To combat the inevitable ups and downs of group morale, the Huns’ emphasis needs to be shifted away from the varying circumstances of the present moment toward the more stable source of their national identity.

When the attitude of the people is based in something as nebulous as the latest victory or defeat, it is inevitable that morale can shift wildly. However, if public morale is rooted in something that is timeless and preserved by will—rather than by chance or extrinsic factors—then the group’s existence will be one of much greater peace and consistency. Related to this concern for general morale is the focus of the fifth chapter, in which the author discusses possible tensions among various tribes and tribe members within the Huns’ own boundaries. While external enemies will often be a threat, it is internal enemies that can cause even more damage.

In their previous existence as warring factions, the various tribes had an interest in elevating their own tribe above another or in looking down on other members of different tribes as inferior in some way or another. After Attila united the clans, it was to their advantage to put aside any difference and become allies, if not friends, to serve the common good of the nation. Cunning is no longer to be considered a prized virtue but is now a vicious trait for which one could be judged severely. In attempting to achieve this harmony, it is useful to employ appropriate modes of relating to others, which becomes the focus of Chapters 6 and 7. In one’s actions and words, modesty and prudence will always win.

Regarding how one appears to or is judged by one’s enemies, it is often advantageous to appear in a manner wholly different than the appearance one would give at home or among friends. Even wicked and vile rumors can be to one’s advantage if they paint a portrait of a warrior who is too ferocious to even encounter, let alone win victory over. At home, however, one’s reputation is of the utmost importance, not only to reflect what is true but also so that the people can maintain confidence in their leader. In one’s dress, one should always dress for the role one is currently seeking; leaders should be dressed to stand out due to their dignity but should also take care not to be too ostentatious or preening, lest they be resented and hated. In social interactions, honor and courtesy are the twin virtues that will allow many leaders to be feared by their enemies but beloved and honored by their own people.

The need to balance a proper image is crucial for a leader. While this focus risks seeming superficial, Roberts presents it as another way in which leaders display prudent judgment, due to the essential role of image in presenting oneself to the world as competent, honorable, and worthy of trust and respect. Thus, controlling the image one projects is one aspect of demonstrating proper judgment, as is the prudent selection of one’s enemies in Chapter 8. The only man who ever won a victory over Attila was Aetius, his longtime rival, and even then, Attila managed to survive the battle, returning later as a victor. Enemies, as Attila points out, are made at great cost, and, thus, should become enemies only if other routes to peace could not be worked out. Additionally, Aetius’s advantage was rooted in his deep understanding of the Huns’ culture and strategies. Thus, he had the rare and dangerous advantage of being an external enemy with internal knowledge, having trained within the Huns’ culture for many years.

Even in dealing with the enemy, respect must be paid and deference shown, as the underestimation and disrespect of one’s enemies has resulted in catastrophic failure countless times throughout history. In this sense, prudence is one of the leader’s cardinal virtues: practical wisdom—when to speak, how to act, whom to involve, where a topic should be broached—is a virtue that is vital to good leadership.