In a time of endless chaos and bloodshed, when the only law was the law of the sword, a peasant boy named Hideyoshi dreamed of becoming a samurai. Despite his lack of strength and size, he learned to outthink and outmaneuver every foe to become not just a samurai, but one of the greatest military and civic leaders Japan has ever known. Hideyoshi's timeless leadership secrets offer effective strategies for succeeding in business, con?ict, and life, and are destined to take their place beside such classics as The Book of Five Rings and The Art of War . “Hideyoshi is no typical business guru, but his lessons have inspired generations of executives. . . . I spent more than a decade in Japan, and The Swordless Samurai is valuable reading for anyone doing business there or looking for a deeper understanding of timeless leadership principles.” ― Ken Belson of The New York Times “The wisdom of this sixteenth-century samurai is astonishingly prescient and pertinent for twenty-first-century leaders. Practical wisdom at its best.” ― Warren Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business, USC, and author of On Becoming a Leader “A must-read for anyone trying to steer their organization down the right path.” ― Brendan I. Koerner, contributing editor, Wired magazine Kitami Masao contributed to The Swordless Samurai from St. Martin's Press. TIM CLARK  spent ten years working in Japan, founding a pioneering Asia-focused marketing research consultancy that was acquired by a public corporation. Today he lives in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches graduate entrepreneurship courses while pursuing doctoral business studies through Hitotsubashi University.  He is the author of The Swordless Samuari: The Leadership Wisdom of Japan's Sixteenth Century Legend -- Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Swordless Samurai Leadership Wisdom of Japan's Sixteenth-Century Legend---Toyotomi Hideyoshi By Masao, Kitami St. Martin's Griffin Copyright © 2008 Masao, Kitami All right reserved. ISBN: 9780312382339 Chapter One Gratitude, Hard Work, Bold Action, and Devotion So, boy. You wish to serve me?”  Silhouetted against the blue-black sky, the man on horseback, with his horned helmet, towered over me like a demon as I knelt in the dirt before him. I could not see his face, but there was no mistaking the authority in his growling tone, nor the hint of mockery in his question. I tried to speak and managed only a faint croak. My mouth had gone dry, so dry I felt as if I were dying of thirst. But I had to respond. My fate—and though I didn’t know it then, the fate of all of Japan—depended on my answer. Raising my head just far enough to brave a glance at the demonic figure, I saw him staring at me, like a hawk poised to seize a field mouse in its talons. When I managed to speak, my voice was clear and steady, and I drew courage with each syllable. “That’s correct, Lord Nobunaga,” I said. “I do.” It was a time of carnage and darkness: the Age of Wars, when the land was torn by bloodshed and the only law was the law of the sword. I was a young boy then, wandering the countryside alone, seeking my fortune, without a copper coin in my pocket. Even then I wanted to be a leader of men, but I could never have guessed how far that desire would take me. My name is Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and today I am the supreme ruler of all Japan, the first peasant ever to rise to the absolute height of power.2 I was the only feudal lord—out of more than two hundred who lived during my rule—to earn my position through hard work rather than birthright. I rose from poverty to rule a mighty nation and command hundreds of thousands of samurai warriors. Now, I record these words so that my story might inspire others to become better leaders. Some of you already lead many followers. Some of you have just begun your leadership journey. Some of you follow now, but aspire to lead. Regardless of your station in life, the timeless secrets disclosed in these pages will serve you well, for they apply equally to subordinates and superiors. People called me Monkey for my mischievous ways—and because of my big ears, my oversize head, and my scrawny physique. I’m short and homely. Those who meet me for the first time are shocked—they don’t expect the most powerful person in the nation to resemble a bald, deformed dwarf. Some say I’m the ugliest leader in Japan’s history! So be it. Perhaps I take the prize for the most unsightly overlord, but in my lifetime the people became dedicated to me—because I dedicated myself to them. That is the Secret of Devotion, about which I will reveal more later. You may be surprised to learn that my successful quest to achieve the epitome of leadership was built on the commonplace notions of devotion, gratitude, hard work, and bold action. These principles appear so simple you might not consider them “secrets.” But few people comprehend their true power, and still fewer understand that they form the cornerstone of the samurai code, an honored