Business lessons from 1066

I have always been interested and intrigued by history and how the past can inform the present. So, of course I tuned in to “King and Conquerer”, the BBC drama about the lead up to the Norman Conquest. I wasn’t shocked when learned historians picked on the various inaccuracies in the story, but what did surprise me was what terrific insights it provided into the world of business. It should be required viewing for all CEOs.

Very often charismatic leadership is seen as a positive in business and both Harold and William had more than enough of that quality. However, that sense of confidence, which was an attractive quality for their followers regularly drifted into arrogance and an unbending certainty of being right, even when circumstances indicated something different.

Neither leader considered others could have something useful to contribute when developing their strategy and it looked as though the term delegation had not been invented at the time. The best business leaders know when to pause, reflect and listen to others and Harold illustrated very well what can happen when they don’t.

There was a lot of talk about loyalty and trust, two qualities that are as much prized in modern business as they were in the armies of Harold and William. But it was clear neither had earned the allegiance of their followers, rather they simply demanded it. That is fine up to a point, but when you need people to go above and beyond there has to be a bit more to it. There are probably old school bosses who follow Harold’s example, but I bet they don’t get nearly so much from their workforce than they would if they approached things with greater humanity.

Another issue which came through strongly was that of the negotiated alliance. In Harold’s case the most important was to win the support of the Earl of Mercia, which he never achieved, with ultimately disastrous results, even though he jumped through several hoops, including dumping his wife and marrying Mercia’s sister. Maybe the business lesson here is that when you are negotiating an alliance make sure that there is something in it for both sides and be certain the deal will be delivered.

In the end, Harold lost the crucial battle with William because shortly before, he’d had to unexpectedly head north to tackle a Viking incursion, so had been forced to spread his resources too thinly when he marched back to the south coast. That showed even the best plan can be de-railed when something surprising happens, or as what another Harold, Macmillan, recognised as the greatest challenge for a statesman (or a boss), as he put it: “Events, dear boy, events.”