Like Napoleon, founders can attract top talent by giving them a grand mission, branding teams to create a proud identity (e.g., "the men without fear"), and demonstrating they are in the trenches alongside their people. This builds loyalty far beyond compensation.

Calling a "code red" is a strategic leadership move used to shock the system. Beyond solving an urgent issue, it serves as a loyalty test to identify the most committed team members, build collective confidence through rapid problem-solving, and rally everyone against competitive threats.

In "The Art of War," adhering to the "moral law" is a core strategic principle that ensures loyalty in crisis. Buffett applies this by cultivating a reputation for fairness and character. This becomes a competitive advantage, attracting partners and deals that others cannot access, proving ethics are a strategic asset.

Roman soldiers fought with a shield in their left hand and sword in their right, leaving one side vulnerable. They compensated by fighting shoulder-to-shoulder, with each man's shield protecting his neighbor. This is a powerful model for accountability: find trusted peers to cover your blind spots.

There's a fundamental difference in how people build influence. Manipulative "political operators" collect allies for short-term, transactional gain. In contrast, genuine leaders invest in building deep, transformational relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

To build a loyal and effective team, leaders should constantly make "deposits"—helping employees advance, improve, and do their jobs. This builds goodwill, so when a leader needs to make a "withdrawal" by asking for something, the team is happy to oblige. This applies to customers, employees, and government stakeholders alike.

Ben Horowitz uses a historical parallel to illustrate powerful culture: Toussaint Louverture's seemingly absurd rule against adultery for his soldiers. This created immense discipline. His army didn't rape or pillage, earning them the crucial trust of local women who then helped them defeat European forces.

Instead of starting from a textbook, WCM developed its effective culture by identifying the negative traits of its original founder's regime—control, opacity, and stinginess—and deliberately doing the opposite. This 'inversion' method provides a powerful, practical template for cultural transformation.

Culture isn't about values listed on a wall; it's the sum of daily, observable behaviors. To build a strong culture, leaders must define and enforce specific actions that embody the desired virtues, especially under stress. Abstract ideals are useless without concrete, enforced behaviors.