How to get people to do the extraordinary in difficult, dangerous or harsh environments, without recourse to high compensation packages, or in conditions where human rights and social activities are circumscribed is, of course, the day-to-day business of military leadership. And it is not merely on the battlefield but in operations short of war such as peacekeeping or nation-building — for example in Iraq today — where soldiers are attacked and denigrated by the people they have come to help, that the challenges of leadership can be most demanding. Nor do the requirements in civilian life for good leadership differ greatly from those in the military. For how people perform in life will be determined as much by the quality of the leadership as by their own personal sets of technical skills or how they are managed.

While management concerns technical functions such as administration and regulation, leadership possesses an inspirational element that derives from human and spiritual qualities. As President Truman once said, leadership is about getting “others to do what they don’t want to do, and like it”. Military doctrine is more specific and suggests that persuasion, trust and some assurance of success are the most necessary requirements of good leadership.

First, there has to be some moral component of good leadership that extends the goals of individuals beyond themselves and their own narrow ambitions based on self-interest.

For where there is a high element of personal risk, sacrifice or hardship involved, people have to believe that what they are doing will make some worthwhile contribution to society, their nation or to mankind as a whole. Fighting against the tyranny of Hitler provides one obvious example of where a clear moral component created high levels of motivation among people. People firmly believed in what they were doing and the entire country united behind the political leadership of Churchill. The reverse is, of course, true of the war in Iraq. Tony Blair not only failed to persuade the majority of British people of the need to go to war in the first place, but subsequently lost any popular support amid the calamitous attempt to establish Western-style democracy in Iraq by military force.

Nevertheless, what motivates people has not greatly changed in the past 50 years — although circumstances may have. In 1994, what made a young French officer stand in front of a Serb T55 tank throughout the middle of a bitter winter night in the mountains of Bosnia in order to prevent the Serbs taking arms from a UN weapons’ collecting point? It was belief in the UN mission that was sustaining the hopes of peace in the Balkans, while at the same time keeping some 2.7 million people alive through the delivery of humanitarian aid. For this he was prepared to sacrifice his life, and as a result of his example, his soldiers were inspired to do likewise.

A leader, however inspirational, has to be professionally competent.

Furthermore, people have to believe that those whom they are working for, are also fair. In addition to competence there has to be integrity. There can be no double standards and it will always be expected that leaders should share the same risks and hardships as their people. Morale will never be high in companies where the workforce are being laid off while the management reward themselves with high levels of remuneration. Loyalty cannot be just one way. No human being wants to belong to a failed organisation and people will work extraordinary hours, make great sacrifices and take enormous risks if they feel that they can be assured of success. Nevertheless, defining moments for leaders are usually found in moments of crisis, adversity, chaos. For anyone can lead when things are going well, but it takes extraordinary qualities of leadership to maintain motivation when things are going badly.

In summary, it is clear that if we are to confront the challenges of a fast- changing world, we need to understand and adhere to old-fashioned concepts of leadership. For what motivates humans is enduring. It is not political correctness that will inspire future generations, but good leadership and the presence of a strong moral component.

Michael Rose, Monday 20, 4.30pm, RBS Main Theatre, will discuss guerilla warfare in the American civil war and today in Iraq

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