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Promotion Work like an Egyptian
John Stein offers an insight into his new book on the L&D lessons we can glean from the pharaohs’ journeys
the reasons for this. The Great Pyramid at Giza, built for King Khufu in 2589 BC, is the only survivor of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’ and is the largest pyramid built by any of the Egyptian pharaohs. There are 80 other similar monuments still standing today – a testament to the ambition of the pharaohs and the dedication and work ethic of ancient Egypt. The pyramids are probably the greatest example of ancient precision engineering; they are often viewed as symbols of endurance, power and strength, but what important learning and development lessons can we learn from the pharaohs? A lot more than you may think – there are many parallels to the pyramid-building journey of a pharaoh and that faced by leaders in organisations today. Both journeys involve the initial development of a vision by a single person. A pharaoh’s aim was to build a monument that would guarantee immortal reputation. The wish of the leader today is to build a growing, successful and sustainable organisation. Leadership plays a critical role in the development, support and realisation of any vision, whether you are a pharaoh or a chief executive.
T
Conscription did not exist in ancient times and the pyramids. Contrary to popular belief, these megaliths were not built by slaves but by highly skilled craftsmen. Engaging others by
learningmagazine.co.uk
he concept of the pyramid is often used to help communicate important development themes in the workplace and it’s not diffi cult to appreciate
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Leadership plays a critical role in the development of any vision
developing leadership capability was important to attracting, recruiting and retaining the talent needed to build the pyramid on schedule. Today, engagement plays an important part in procuring and maintaining support from others on each organisation’s journey. Pharaohs faced the same people- performance challenges as modern-day leaders – from resignation to recruitment, cynicism to optimism, complacency to commitment. It can be comforting to know that little has changed in over 4,500 years. Leadership and management are two different and important journey disciplines. Pharaohs were not necessarily natural-born ‘people managers’ – they left this important task to other high offi cials. Many of the most successful senior leaders in organisations today readily admit that they do not possess the management skills required to get the best out of others. The culture of a workplace plays an important part in delivering success. Factors such as innovation, attention to detail,
fi nancial control, teamwork and other high- performance behaviours are key. Speed of thought and high energy levels within the workforce were important for delivering a strong performance on a daily basis. Modern-day leaders also understand the need for urgency and continuous momentum in order to remain competitive and relevant. Complacency is a common fear for leaders, particularly when progress on the journey is good. New ways of working and high standards need to be implemented in order to sustain operational effi ciency.
Ownership is the holy grail when it comes
to an effectively functioning organisation. Leaders recognise that without personal accountability linked to each individual’s role in the workplace, success is impossible to achieve – collective ownership contributes towards the creation of an agile, successful and sustainable organisation. Finally, it’s worth noting that great pharaohs
created memorable journeys. They inspired others to buy into their vision, believe in the impossible, embark on the journey and deliver success for the kingdom. Best wishes on your journey, wherever it may take you. n
John Stein is the founder of the winning (formula)®
and the
author of the new leadership and growth book Building the Pyramid. The publication is available from
www.the-
winning-formula.com
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