Leadership Development Lessons from the ancient Egyptians

As work turns out to be passion, it no longer manifests itself as work. It is the centralization of personal desire and the actions we gladly take.

When it turned out from the discovery to a Workers’ Graveyard, building Pyramids was a risky business. Despite possessing a great attitude, that was a real blunder. So why would anyone prefer to put in their best possible effort and put in danger their lives in doing so. Was it Bak, or feeling unique, or was it more?

Harvard’s George Reisner found workers graffiti created by “Building Teams” that called themselves names like “Friends of Khufu” and “Drunkards of Menkaure”. These findings and ancient Scrolls give the idea that these teams were made up of many classes of individuals on a shifting basis. This means that the managers, architects, and even the priests took part in building.

Did Pharaoh himself go down and carve bricks? Only Ra would has the answer. But in today’s circumstance when nourishing the psychology of a superior workforce, a Hands-on CEO often commands greater respect. Why? This is due to the fact that he/she leads for others and not for a personal ego trip.

The term “Hands on” should be qualified here: a CEO that gets into other peoples job due to frustration or tries to do everything themselves is counterproductive. The hands on type that I’ve mentioned is an individual who takes the time to assist his personnel by supportively directing them. And, who lets his subordinates teach him what and how they are doing in order to have a greater understanding of even the least important function. This would be a Leader who may see a mop and proceed to clean the floor while the janitor is having a break, then ask the janitor if he did it right when he comes back. Or, who may go to the source when a manager is having difficulty with equipment and help him in solving the problem as the manager takes charge. These of course must be taken in context of time requirements, but a great leader will be able to manage more time because he/she would be more effective in assisting people to achieve greater and faster results.

In these teams people were equals which established unique identities within the masses. Each of these teams was divided into 5 smaller teams where more cohesiveness amongst team members could be formed. With individual group identities, leaders were able to establish the groups as an essential part of the same vision. They were component of something greater than the individual, they had ownership in it. It was a higher purpose. As a part of these selected teams they had strength that no individual could ever have, they were greater than themselves and even Pharaoh. This became a way for the ordinary person to have real power, to feel an equal to royalty. The Pyramid became the achievement that only they could accomplish, a part of history that they could tell their children about. A physical manifestation of owning a part of something which can’t be done by someone else.

This higher purpose bred cooperation and efficiency; there was pride in daily achievements. And each team celebrated with other teams after each completed step of the process. These people didn’t work as individuals, not even as groups, but as an extension of the organization.

To achieve self actualization in a workforce, a contemporary company must ask “Why?”

Why would an individual feel powerful working in your organization?

Why would they be proud to be a part of it?

What is your “Pyramid”, the greater purpose your personnel could be a part of?

Each individual has his/her own worth that he/she must equate and align with the organizational objectives to achieve self actualization. To lead self actualized individuals, a leader doesn’t direct or even guide; at this stage a leader collaborates with his subordinates as equals, empowering them as entrepreneurs and not employees.

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