For decades I have taught classes to MBA students and mid-career professionals who aspire to be leaders in healthcare. One set of advice that I give is drawn from a museum exhibit in Castle Sterling, Scotland. It’s a list of Do’s and Don’ts for Kings and Queens who wanted to secure and hold onto power. The advice is relevant today for aspiring corporate titans.
Stage a spectacle.
- Do host elaborate events at the royal court, such as pageants and tournaments.
- Don’t neglect your public image.
It was important to look the part, i.e., dress regally and keep the peasants and nobles happy with events. Failure to do so could lead to rebellions (Just ask Janes III who was an unpopular and ineffective king and was confronted with two major rebellions during his reign.)
Secure the Dynasty
- Do make a prestigious marriage.
- Don’t fail to produce an heir.
Nothing like a matrimonial alliance with France or Spain to help you fight those pesky British.
Wage War
- Do set an example for your followers.
- Don’t flee the scene before the battle begins.
Robert the Bruce was the archetype of the Scottish Warrior-King who was in the thick of the fight, inspiring his troops. On the other hand, James I fled the scene of the battle to recapture Roxburgh Castle. What should have been a victory turned into a fiasco and as a result James I was assassinated a year later. Being a chicken can be hazardous to your health
Build a Powerbase
- Do encourage loyalty through good management.
- Don’t alienate your most powerful nobles.
James IV would be heralded as a great manager in classrooms at Harvard Business School. On the other hand, James III was a lousy leader and should not have been surprised when the nobles led a rebellion.
Assert your Authority
- Do confront nobles who have grown too powerful.
- But don’t go too far.
James II became king when he 6 but assumed control when he was 18. He had leading members of his family, who took advantage of him when he was not yet of age, executed. That same James probably went too far in executing several nobles (but he recovered from his mistakes).
I expect that a photo of James IV of Scotland will grace the boardroom of many a health care system.