Invincibility, Challenges and Leadership

In less than two decades, Dubai has transformed itself from an obscure Gulf emirate into a global centre for business, tourism, and luxury living. It is a fascinating case study in light-speed urban development, hyper-consumerism, massive immigration, and vertiginous inequality. Its rulers have succeeded in making Dubai into a worldwide brand, publicising its astonishing hotels and leisure opportunities while at the same time successfully downplaying its complex policies towards guest workers and suppression of dissent.

Invincibility, Challenges and Leadership is a product of a thorough study and understanding of history, combined with the author’s extensive personal and professional experience in the army and government. K. V. Krishna Rao has used his wide-ranging research and experience to give the reader an over-view of the development and rise of a few civilisations and empires in the course of human history, and to examine the reasons for their downfall. He takes an in-depth look at the causes and consequences of major wars in the twentieth century; and the progress of the wars, explaining the course and impact of major battles fought. The author then closely looks at the life and role of major political and military rulers, to illustrate the development of these great leaders and examine the impact they had on events. These examples are used to identify the role of leadership in defining events, the characteristics and virtues of good leadership, and the consequences of the presence of these leaders in directing events.

As the author notes, to be effective leaders, or even good citizens, an understanding of history is vital, since that gives us an opportunity to learn from the past, and the chance to prevent repeating mistakes. This book clearly demonstrates this fact, by merging lessons from history and discussions about possible future challenges. This book is a must-read for those interested in world and military history, for current and future leaders and for an understanding of the development and qualities of leadership.