Game of Thrones
“Three great men sit in a room. A king, a priest, and a rich man. Between them stands a common cell sword. Each great man bids the cell sword kill the other two. Who lives, who dies? – Lord Verys
“Depends on the cell sword.” – Tyrion Lannister
“Does it? He has neither crown, nor gold, nor favor with the gods.” – Lord Verys
“He has a sword, the power of life and death.” – Tyrion Lannister
“But if it’s swordsmen who rule, why do we pretend kings hold all the power?” – Lord Verys
“I’ve decided I don’t like riddles.” – Tyrion Lannister
“Power resides where men believe it resides. It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall. And… A very small man can cast a very large shadow.” – Lord Verys
I love the television series Game of Thrones and this passage from Lord Verys is perhaps my favorite moment. His words strike at the heart of my passion for shared leadership and dispersed power. The goal of a great work culture should be to help people reclaim the innate power that dwells within us all.
We’ve been taught for centuries that true power resides ‘out there’ beyond us, in a distant castle or capital. In nature, power is dispersed and the sacred energy of the Universe dwells equally within us all. In the 21st Century transformational leadership is about dispersing power, not collecting it. It’s about giving other people a stronger voice.
Thank you for reading, watching, thinking, and acting! We must become the change we wish to see in this world.
Love and light to you! — Kevin
