Confronted with the problem of bringing about positive changes in a domestic or international environment that seems to defy the power of “normal” leaders, one looks for new Alexanders to untie the “Gordian knot” and transcend complexity by sheer force of will and dynamism. For example, structural reforms in Europe are thought impossible to enact unless imposed by some reincarnation of Margaret Thatcher.
给国内或国际环境带来积极的变革似乎是“普通”领导人们力所不及的。面对这样的困境，人们开始寻找新的“亚历山大大帝（们）”。他们能够解开“戈尔迪之结”，并只需通过意愿和干劲的力量就能化解难题。例如，人们认为没有一个玛格丽特•撒切尔化身般的领导人，欧洲的结构性改革就无法实施。在中东，所有人都在期待一位萨达特式的伟人出现。