“Many enemies, much honour”
This phrase was made famous in Italy by Benito Mussolini, head of the Italian Fascist regime before WWII.
He used it as a slogan for the regime to turn opposition into a badge of pride.
It is a phrase that still fascinates, especially in environments where leadership is seen as dominance, conflict, and conquest.
The idea that enemies increase prestige has much older roots — from imperial rhetoric to medieval chivalry: the greater the adversary, the greater the honour.
To have powerful enemies once meant to be important.
Today, however, that logic no longer holds.
In modern leadership, effectiveness is not measured by the number of conflicts one accumulates, but by the ability to build trust, foster consensus, and deliver lasting results.
As a Sicilian proverb wisely reminds us:
“Cu avi molti nemici, è picca santu.”
(He who has many enemies is not much of a saint.)
Having some opposition is inevitable. Collecting enemies is not.
A wise leader knows when to confront — but more importantly, when to build.
Because nowadays, true strength in leadership does not lie in making enemies, but in forging alliances, managing conflict constructively, and treating dissent not as a threat, but as an opportunity for growth.