⚔️ Rituals, Turtlenecks, and the Ancient Art of Looking Legit

Before Hannibal crossed the Alps to wage war on Rome, he stopped at an altar near Gibraltar.

There, in full view of his army, mostly Carthaginian and Iberian troops, he offered sacrifices to Hercules.

Why?

Was it superstition? Maybe. But more likely, it was leadership.

He wanted them to believe. That the gods were on their side. That he was the one destined to lead them. That this wasn’t just a military campaign it was fate.

That stop at the altar wasn’t strategy. It was Ethos.

Alexander Did It Too

When Alexander the Great was marching toward Persia, he didn’t take the fastest route.

He detoured across the desert to visit the Oracle at Siwah, a temple deep in the Egyptian-Libyan sands, far off the path of conquest.

Before conquest, he sought conviction. Alexander’s detour wasn’t tactical—it was mythical.

Why? To be told he was the son of a god.

It wasn’t a battlefield. It wasn’t a negotiation. It was a ritual of identity, one that gave his campaign a kind of spiritual legitimacy.

If people believed he was blessed, they’d follow him further. Fight harder. Trust deeper.

Alexander wasn’t just building an army. He was building a story.

The Ancient Power of Ethos

Aristotle defined Ethos as one of the three pillars of persuasion — along with Logos (logic) and Pathos (emotion). But even outside of philosophy, ancient leaders lived this idea.

Logic. Emotion. Credibility. These aren’t just ideas—they’re the pillars leaders stand on.

They didn’t just command.

They didn’t just plan.

They created moments — acts that signaled: I’m meant to lead you.

Rituals, sacrifices, oracles — all of them were ways to create credibility, not in PowerPoint terms, but in the gut.

Because people don’t just follow competence. They follow belief.

And Then There’s the Turtleneck

Centuries later, Steve Jobs walked onstage in a black turtleneck and blue jeans.

He didn’t cross a desert. He didn’t pray at a temple. But what he did was remarkably similar.

He created rituals.

The product reveal. The keynote rhythm. The signature look. The myth.

Jobs built Ethos — and then wrapped it in a uniform.

And here’s the kicker: years later, other founders started dressing like him. Not for comfort. Not for fashion.

But because the symbol transferred.

“If I look like Steve, maybe I can lead like Steve.”

It’s the same thing Hannibal did at the altar. The same thing Alexander did at Siwah.

Rituals that signal: I’m the right person to follow.

You can follow the footsteps of giants — and still feel alone. That’s when leadership begins.

But Here’s Where It Breaks

Ethos alone is dangerous.

When leaders think being blessed, titled, or mythologized is enough — they lose the team. Because the real engine of leadership isn’t image. It’s connection.

You can’t keynote your way out of broken trust. You can’t turtleneck your way through hard times. You need Pathos — the part where people feel like you’re with them, not above them.

Salute the Man, Not the Costume

There’s a saying — “Salute the rank, not the man.”

But in real life, the reverse is often more true.

People follow you, not your title.

They follow your behavior, your empathy, your track record — not just your rituals.

So yes — use Ethos. Build your myth. Wear your armor. Light the fire.

Just don’t forget: what makes it real isn’t the show. It’s the work you do after the curtain drops.