Lead Like Julius Caesar - by Paul Vanderbroeck (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discover the legendary life and career of Julius Caesar in this insightful and thought-provoking book that breaks down the bold strategies, leadership skills, and motivations behind his rise to power. Beyond his triumphs, the book examines the cautionary tale of his downfall, offering timeless lessons for managers, leaders, and business students to reflect on and benchmark their careers.

Through a modern lens - by applying leadership theories - this book explores Caesar's personal traits, relationships, and decisions that shaped his leadership, providing insights into his competencies and the factors behind his meteoric rise. It's a valuable case study for organizations aiming to develop strong leaders and teams, making it a must-read for history enthusiasts, professionals, and anyone seeking practical strategies for success. For managers, leaders, professionals, and business students alike, this book offers a unique opportunity to reflect on their careers and benchmark their success and ambition against one of the greatest leaders of all time.

From the Back Cover

Discover the legendary life and career of Julius Caesar in this insightful and thought-provoking book that breaks down the bold strategies, leadership skills, and motivations behind his rise to power. Beyond his triumphs, the book examines the cautionary tale of his downfall, offering timeless lessons for managers, leaders, and business students to reflect on and benchmark their careers.

Through a modern lens - by applying leadership theories - this book explores Caesar's personal traits, relationships, and decisions that shaped his leadership, providing insights into his competencies and the factors behind his meteoric rise. It's a valuable case study for organizations aiming to develop strong leaders and teams, making it a must-read for history enthusiasts, professionals, and anyone seeking practical strategies for success. For managers, leaders, professionals, and business students alike, this book offers a unique opportunity to reflect on their careers and benchmark their success and ambition against one of the greatest leaders of all time.

"A must-read for both junior and senior leaders who are looking for an inspiring benchmark."

Professor Jean-François Manzoni, IMD

"You'll never read history quite the same again..."

Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, CEO, 20-first

"A brilliant idea to teach leadership through the life of Julius Caesar."

Alex Hungate, President & COO, Grab Holdings Inc

"A must-read for those seeking to learn from the past to lead more collaboratively and effectively."

Professor Susan Goldsworthy, IMD

"A must-read for mastering the art of leadership."

Artur Umerkaev, Director, Cap Gemini

"A powerful tool for deciding whether to become a leader or what kind of a leader to be."

Professor Konstantin Korotov, ESMT

Review Quotes

"I recommend Lead Like Julius Caesar. He left us the masterpiece that is the Rome of the ancient world. The book is profoundly inspiring, and by drawing on the past and comparing it to the present, it allows us to see fundamental aspects of leadership. I am recommending it to my clients and anyone else with an interest in getting to the heart of leadership." (Charles Spinosa, goodreads.com, November 4, 2025)

"This book is still thought-provoking and will be of interest for those wanting a unique take on Caesar." (Bungaku Shoujo, goodreads.com, October 28, 2025)

"'Lead Like Julius Caesar' represents something increasingly rare: a business book of intellectual substance, written by someone qualified to bridge the 2,000-year gap between Caesar's world and our own. Leadership lessons derived from shallow historical readings often collapse under scrutiny. But when a historian who has dedicated years to understanding the political, military, and social dynamics of Caesar's world also possesses the vocabulary and frameworks of modern leadership development, the resulting insights carry genuine weight." (management-issues.com, May, 2025)

"Paul Vanderbroeck's book Lead Like Julius Caesar is a readable, enjoyable and informative account of Julius Caesar's life and his leadership. ... this book deals with ancient history, it succeeds in connecting the timeless aspects of leadership to today's world in a clever, convincing way. It will appeal to leaders, managers or those aspiring to leadership positions who enjoy learning through stories. ... I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it from many angles." (Carol Waites, goodreads.com, October 22, 2025)

"Lead like Julius Caesar - highly recommended as a thought-provoking way of identifying the leadership qualities and behaviour required in one's own context." (Bob Selden, goodreads.com, August 18, 2025)

About the Author

Paul Vanderbroeck, PhD, is a historian, leadership scholar and executive coach. He has accompanied many leaders and high potential individuals across the world in their leadership careers. Among his publications are two business books: Leadership Strategies for Women (Springer, 2014) and The International Career Couple Handbook (2021).