I am sharing 10 bits of
“Camelot Wisdom” to commemorate the publication anniversary of Camelot, Inc.: Leadership and Management
Insights from King Arthur and the Round Table. Not all of the actions and words
from Camelot were examples we should follow, of course; there were many
instances of what not to say or do. But this collection of 10 quotes from the
legends (of the 150 in the book) holds strong relevance for us today. As
Winston Churchill said, “The further
backward you look, the further forward you can see.”
“He favours the young knights,
and tries to help them win the spurs.”1 Help others realize their potential. Coaching,
teaching and mentoring must not be an optional activity for leaders.
“Learn why the world wags and
what wags it.”2 Having
empathy - understanding and feeling what others feel - delivers competitive
advantage. People want to advocate, work or vote for those who take an interest
in them, and feel their pains and successes.
“But when men be hot in the
deeds of arms oft they will hurt their friends as well as their foes.”3
Without maintaining calm and
perspective in times of crisis, a lack of clear, considered thinking leads to
poor decision-making and unintended consequences.
“I didn’t want to be conscious
of it. I hoped that if only I was not quite conscious of everything, it would
come straight in the end.”4 We must confront the hard, awkward issues. Denying reality may
sometimes be required to maintain sanity but move past the anticipation and
anxiety to address problems and opportunities.
“The destiny of Man is to unite, not to divide. If you keep dividing
you end up as a collection of monkeys throwing nuts at each other out of
separate trees.”5 It can’t always be all-or-nothing; we should
celebrate incremental advances. Communicate and engage with others to find
common ground and compromise.
“I don’t think things ought to be done
because you are able to do them. I think they should be done because you ought
to do them.”6 There
is importance in declaring your Mission, Vision, and Values; define and
articulate objectives, direction, and principles. We can do well AND do good.
“Merlin made the Round Table in tokening of
the world…”7 Round
was more than a shape; the Table became a brand. It was a symbol of excellence.
It enhanced communication and collaboration, and hosted a diversity of old and
new – those with institutional knowledge and fresh ideas. Value was placed on the
"roundedness" of people and teams.
“…many speak behind a man more than they
will say to his face.”8 Behavior matters. Gossip leads to rumors, which lead to a breakdown in
trust and organizational culture. Ensure the flow of good, timely information. Set
an example and have the character and ethics to correct others.
“…you
couldn’t get unless you gave. And you had to give without wanting to get.”9
One must not think of helping, contributing or doing good as a zero-sum game.
We need a mindset, a culture of helping others to succeed – it strengthens
everyone.
“Only fools want to be great.”10
Greatness is not an objective; it’s an outcome of planning, doing, giving
and achieving. Leaders know the audiences/stakeholders they serve are the
judges. They further those agendas above their own, and must have the vision to
unify purpose and people.
There’s much more in the
book, of course, but it’s clear that the trials and tribulations of Arthur and
his court have much to teach the people, corporations, institutions and
governments of today.
1.
T.H.
White, The Once and Future King, (1939-1958); Ace Edition (1987), p.
554.
2.
Ibid.,
p. 183.
3.
Ibid.,
p. 416
4.
Ibid.,
579.
5.
Ibid.,
p. 231.
6.
Ibid.,
p. 246.
7.
T.
Malory, Le Morte D’Arthur, (1469); Modern Library Edition (1999), p. 691.
8.
White, The
Once and Future King, p. 347
9.
Ibid.,
p. 464.
10. Ibid., p. 180.
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