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Leadership Lessons From The Great Pyramids

Cultivating masses of motivated people to build Lasting organizations

Evidence uncovered by Faunal experts Redding and Lehner prove it...

It was not slaves who built the great pyramids. It was gangs of motivated, dedicated, and well organized individuals who had a purpose…

…And over 4500 years later, when viewing the astonishing accomplishments of the great pyramid builders through modern Directive Communication™ psychology, we find patterns. And the pyramids themselves conceal a mysterious code that illuminates the force of superior leadership.

The illuminating wealth of this systematic leadership proficiency was developed over centuries. It took hundreds of years to perfect, but only one dynasty to destroy.

The first pyramids were built inside mountains or were crude structures that withered with time, the skill had not yet been developed to erect the timeless monuments which still stand today.

Yet, as architects and planners came up with new ideas for better structures, the skill to implement these ideas had to be cultivated. And so it was.

The foundations of Pyramid building was founded in skill.

Yet, as theses skills developed, stronger structures were built. But, they took a long time to construct and were not very significant. They had a good appearance, but lacked in function and durability. They had no where near the prominence of the great pyramids. They were mediocre.

One of the more important Pyramid Failures can give an insight to organizational breakdown in a structural metaphor. This was the Pyramid at Meidum built for Pharaoh Seneferu. Today it lays in ruins and toppled blocks. This early attempt failed because of one simple factor that skilled stonework had not yet foreseen. Each of the carved stones were laid as individual blocks, with one piled on top of the other. These gave way to earthquakes and strong weather conditions over time and the structure fell apart.

Since skill it was the foundation of progress, it needed to be further developed. So leaders and architects directed and supervised the development of the structures.
It wasn’t till later that the Egyptians learned that by slanting the stones inward toward the center of the structure that things changed. The structure supported itself.

So the architects knew this must have been a sign from Amenhotep (the Egyptian god of architecture and construction) and it was revealed to them that skill was not enough. The teams of people who built these structures needed more, they needed to support each other and not work as a collection of individuals, but as a group with a purpose.

The discovery that skill was not enough

With skill, people were working as individuals. And as individuals, were primarily driven by personal motives, the payment they would receive, how much time they needed to work, how many days off they would get, what was going on at home while they were working. To develop the cohesive structure the Pyramid needed to be, they needed to develop a cohesive workforce first. They needed to develop the cohesive “Attitude”

So the Pharaoh’s planners and architects set out to cultivate this “Attitude” that was a message from the heavens.

According to Lehner, Egyptian society maintained a Social order that required everybody, no matter what rank, to owe service to the people above them. This was known as “Bak”.

Today’s employees owe service to their organization because they receive a salary. It doesn’t guarantee they will do a good job. In the same light, “Bak” was only a means to recruit people for construction, not for the formation of a superior workforce with mind-set to create an edifice that will last thousands of years.

Think about it, it’s a project that’s only used when your boss is dead. And then, as long as it’s standing while you’re still alive, it looks like you and your colleges have done a great job.

So why put in the extra effort?

A modern study at Stanford University took the most successful people in various vocations and made a startling discovery. Across 100 of the studied vocations, it seemed that most successful people in those professions attributed only about 20% of their success to skill. The study quoted “the primary reason for extraordinary success is due to Attitude, not skill”. The top sales people recognized only 14% of their success was due to skill, the rest was attitude. The top structural engineers, in a very skill based profession, indicated that only 22% was skill, the rest was attitude.

So how did the Egyptians cultivate the attitudes required to manifest the great pyramids?

The secret lies in expectation and reciprocity.

Bak was expected from everybody. The reward for Bak was that someone below you would give you back some Bak (and even the lowest ranks had “someone” below them at one point). Just like a job, you are expected to work and your reward is a paycheck.

So when people started to feel they got something extra, more than was expected, their psychology changed. They WANTED to do a better job, they wanted to “Reciprocate” the extra value they were getting.

There were the normal actions like defrayed taxes (there was no money system at the time) and extra free time for segments of the population that could not spend in their homes or farms due to the annual flooding of the Nile. But that wasn’t enough.

The leaders looked at the situation and came up with a solution - Food.

Pharaoh deemed massive amounts of clover fed cattle to be cultivated for the purpose of feeding the workers the tastiest, finest beef to be found on the continent. Workers were fed like royalty.

This served two purposes:

1.It gave the workers a sense of importance and significance. They ate only the best and felt appreciated in the process.
2. It provided a superior source of protein to make the workers stronger which in turn provided better performance. And they also felt better about themselves and their increased ability

In the context of today’s organizations, this is NOT the equivalent of giving more money or increasing salary. Back then it was physical strength that created a “better man”. Today it’s the mental strength that is most precious. The opportunity for individuals to develop their talents and intellectual ability.

What was superior beef in Ancient Egypt, is now Superior Training or Personal development in today’s business environment.

An important thing to consider: if the workers were feed the normal, not so tender beef, the effect wouldn’t have been the same. Why because it WASN’T SPECIAL!

So if management decides to engage average trainers to save money, they will actual be getting less psychological value for money.

It is also essential to reinforce the extra value. For example a church in Singapore has risen to a parish of over 18,000 partially because they often invite special preachers from other countries to came and speak. They are quite upfront that they pay these guests about S$20,000 for their contribution, and the turnouts are tremendous. But that’s not all, more people get the message and act on it, and it grows the church at an exponential rate.

If the workforce knows the lengths, efforts, and even expense the company goes through for the benefit of making them “Special” or “The Best”, there will be a greater interest and achievement for those efforts.

The result is an attitude that cultivates people working together as groups with a strong sense of self worth. Leaders do not need to direct or supervise; they need only to give guidance (usually in the form of questions).

But…

…While this attitude was enough to build the smaller Pyramids (like that of King Sneferu), the largest, grandest, and the only of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world still standing, with a height of 450 feet and 756 feet square: The Great Pyramid of Khufu, needed more than just a great attitude.

True greatness lies in self-actualization through work

When work becomes choice, it no longer manifests itself as work. It is the convergence of personal desire and the actions we gladly take.

As it turned out from the discovery of a Workers Cemetery, building Pyramids was a dangerous business. Even with a great attitude, that’s a real bummer. So why would anyone choose to put in their whole hearted effort and risk their lives in the process. Was it Bak, or feeling special, 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 suggest that these teams were made up of many classes of people on a rotating basis.

This means that the managers, architects, and even the priests would take part in building.

Did Pharaoh himself go down and carve bricks? Only Ra would know. But in today’s context when nurturing the psychology of a superior workforce, a Hands-on CEO often commands greater respect.

Why?

Because 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 because of frustration or tries to do everything themselves is counterproductive. The hands on type I’m talking about is an individual who takes the time to have assist his personnel by supportively guiding 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 significant function. This would be a Leader who may see a mop and proceed to clean the floor while the janitor’s on his 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 assist 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 have more time because they would be more effective in assisting people to achieve greater and faster results.

In these teams people were equals and as equals 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 part of something greater than the individual, they had ownership in it. It was a higher purpose. As a part of these select teams they had strength that no individual could ever have, they were greater than themselves and even Pharaoh.

This became a way for the average person to have real power, to feel an equal to royalty. The Pyramid became the achievement that no one but them could achieve, a part of history that they could tell there children about. A physical manifestation of owning a part of something no one else could do.

This higher purpose bred cooperation and efficiency; there was pride in Daily accomplishments. 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 modern company must ask “Why?”

Why would someone feel powerful working in your organization?
Why would they be proud to be a part it?
What is your “Pyramid”, the greater purpose your staff could be a part of?

Each person has their own values they must equate and align with the organizations vision 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 people as equals, empowering them as entrepreneurs and not employees.

Self actualization stems from personal power. When you feel power in and of your actions, when you feel like YOU matter in the grand plan of those actions, then you reach the pinnacle of your success.

There are 4 steps to achieve this:
1.Create mixed rank teams that maintain equality
2.Allow the teams to develop unique identities that align their own values with those of the organization
3.Assist teams in finding their own greater purpose
4.Measure success on a daily basis to maximize sense of achievement
Secrets of a motivated, dedicated, and well organized Organization

When Pharaoh set out to build the greatest of the great Pyramids, he assembled his greatest and wisest people and encrypted the writings below as a path to greatness:

Secrete writings of the mysterious code hidden in the Pyramids that illuminates the force of superior management. Source: The Carmazzi Scrolls

Plane of SELF ACTUALIZATION
- Level of Organization -

PINNACLE
Collaborative Leadership
The Pinnacle of greatness comes when individuals see their work as their purpose. To cultivate this, leaders must collaborate as equals with their people. There must be a greater purpose to the work, something greater than the individual, or the group. When working on the plane of
“SELF ACTUALIZATION”, people work at the level of “Organization”

Plane of ATTITUDE
- Level of Group -

CORE
Guided Leadership
The Core of building greatness is formed through Attitude.
To develop this attribute for success, leaders must guide their people, cause emotions of significance that couldn’t be inspired alone. Leaders develop reciprocity by creating an environment of personal growth that is far superior to the standard. When working on the plane of “ATTITUDE”, people work at the level “Group”

Plane of SKILL
- Level of Individual -

FOUNDATION
Directive Leadership
The Foundations of building greatness should be based on skill.
Leaders should direct and teach individuals until those individuals have mastered
the required skill. When working on the plane of “SKILL” people work at the level of “Individual”

Arthur F. Carmazzi
06 May 2007

Arthur F. Carmazzi is the Principal founder of the Directive Communication Methodology and noted as one of the world’s top Leadership Gurus by Leadership Gurus International. He has 22 years experience specializing in psychological approaches to leadership based workforce enhancement and corporate culture transformation. He is a renowned speaker in the Asian Region and has advanced the Corporate Training industry with innovative experiential techniques and tools that have been acknowledged by some of the world\'s greatest organizations. He is the best selling co-author of “The 6 Dimensions of Top Achievers”, and author of “Identity Intelligence” and “Lessons from the Monkey King”.

Arthur is the developer of the CBCI (Colored Brain Communication Inventory) and HDMA Emotional profiling tools used for “Psycho-Productivity” management. These tools has been implemented across a variety of HR and Leadership disciplines by numerous multinationals to generate greater efficiency of human capital. The unique “linked implementation” structure of Arthur\'s tools and methods have earned him and the Directive Communication methodology accreditation from the prestigious American Institute of Business Psychology.

You can find out more about Arthur F. Carmazzi at http://directivecommunication.com and http://carmazzi.net