In 479 BC, the Persians invaded Greece for a second time. According to Plutarch, the Battle of Platea was a united front of several Greek states against over 300,000 Persians.
Aristides was the commander of the Athenian hoplites, a force known for its victory at the Battle of Marathon, roughly 10 years earlier. At the time of Plutarch’s writing, it was thought the Greeks were outnumbered three to one. While the Greeks may have been outnumbered, they had the right mindset for victory.
As the battle formations were forming one day, the Spartans and Athenians could not agree who would face the enemy’s best troops.
Aristides helped settle the matter:
“a man’s place in the battle line neither gives him courage nor takes it away. Whatever position you give us, we shall try to hold it with honor and bring no disgrace upon the record we have earned on the battlefield up to this day. We did not come here to quarrel with our allies, but to fight our enemies, not to boast of our ancestors, but to show our courage in defence of Greece.” – Aristides
Too often we become concerned with our title at our company or our position on the team. Too often we forget that to accomplish anything great takes a focused, team effort. Too often we forget that to be world class at anything it takes an even sharper mindset.
The mind is your most powerful weapon. It can encourage you or it can destroy you.
Plutarch writes “The commander of the barbarian’s cavalry was Masistius, a man possessed of legendary courage.”
Yet when his commander Mardonius committed the entire Persian army to attack the Greeks in their camp, Masistius was killed.
“The Greeks discovered the real importance of their success not from the number of the dead, which was small, but from the grief the barbarians displayed.”
The Persians shaved their heads, cut off the manes of their horses and wailed uncontrollably at the loss of their brave leader.
Teams lose people all the time. Teams that lose their composure lose the most. But the best teams learn to adapt and move forward. New leaders step up. New cultures are developed.
When Mardonius desperately was forced to attack the Greeks because he was low on supplies, again, the Spartans and the Athenians could not agree who would face the enemy’s best troops.
Aristides helped pass the word to get their soldiers’ minds focused on the task at hand, overcoming their enemy.
“The word spread through their ranks that the enemy they were to meet would have no better arms nor stouter hearts than those who had fought at Marathon. They had the same bows and arrows, the same embroidered clothing and gold ornaments to cover soft bodies and faint hearts….”
The enemy was not some invincible force. Humans now and thousands of years before have overcome great odds.
Your project should not have enemies within. Your team should be united under a common cause to conquer any obstacles thrown your way. United we stand, divided we fall.
“while the Athenians were armed not only with the same weapons and limbs as on that day, but with the bolder spirit which is born of victory.”
The spirit of cooperation. The spirit of problem solving. The spirit of a strong mind.
Your mindset matters. Your team’s mindset matters. Morale is a real thing today in any boardroom, any project site, or any back office as much as it was on the fields of Battle in Platea.
Remember, your mindset matters.
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