Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun

Deference is the proper attitude and respect paid to those one interacts with. While it may be demonstrated differently in engaging with one’s superiors and those in authority than it is with those who are one’s peers or subordinates, deference is shown to all people in an organization built and maintained by strong leaders. In relationship to one’s superiors, deference may be demonstrated by showing loyalty and a willingness to serve. Deference may be indicated toward peers and subordinates by, for example, showing camaraderie and the willingness to be a good friend, leader, and representative of one’s office and position of power.

In Chapter 11, Attila introduces the concept of delegation: the practice of dividing up responsibility among trusted subordinates to rule more effectively. Under Attila’s rule, the Hun nation gained a unity that it never achieved before. This consolidation enabled a new centralized power that was not realistic under the previous structure of loosely associated groups. Attila demonstrates his wisdom in being willing to take trusted advisors into his confidence and give them duties in ruling the nation, which is too large to be governed by one person. Without this division of roles, important areas of managing the nation might have been neglected or poorly executed.