There have been many leaders who have contributed to our history, but one man who demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities was Alexander of Macedon, more commonly referred to as Alexander the Great. Alexander gained control of the Macedonian Empire and led his men to victory by conquering the Persian Empire. Not only did his achievement enhance his overall image as a great military leader, but the characteristics he developed throughout his life also played a role in his extraordinary success. Although Alexander encountered many obstacles during his conquests, he was able to keep his focus on his men and himself, which is why he was able to accomplish everything he did. Therefore, during Alexander's conquest, much of his success can be attributed to his great leadership skills, which include courage, confidence, respect for his men, and strategic military capabilities, all of which are factors contributing to make him one of the greatest leaders in history. Alexander's success originated in his childhood and continued throughout his reign as king of Macedonia. Alexander was born on July 20, 356 BC in Pella, the capital of Macedonia, to his parents Philip II, king of Macedonia, and his wife Olympias. Alexander grew up in the royal family, which gave him an interest in becoming king and ruling his own empire. Alexander's father, Philip II, assigned Aristotle as Alexander's guardian. Aristotle played a significant role in transforming Alexander into the successful leader he became. Plutarch states: “It would seem that Alexander received from him not only his doctrines of morality and politics, but also something of those more abstruse and profound theories which these philosophers, by the same names as they gave to... paper……r, but he didn't let any of these worries get in the way of what he wanted to achieve. All in all, during Alexander's short life, he was able to accomplish what most leaders cannot accomplish in a lifetime, thanks to his leadership qualities which allowed him to be known as one of the greatest leaders of all times. Works Cited Arrian. Alexander's campaigns. Trans. Aubrey De Selincourt. London: Penguin Books, 1958. Print.Cartledge, Paul. Alexander the Great. New York: The Overlook Press, 2004. Print.Hammond, NGL The Genius of Alexander the Great. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1997. Print.Emmons, Jim Tschen. "Alexander the Great." World history: ancient and medieval times. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 17 April 2015.Plutarch. The life of Alexander the Great. Trans. John Dryden. New York: The Modern Library, 2004. Print.