APR 13

Why Business is Like Monty Python and the Holy Grail

It all started as a joke, a comment a co-worker made when we were reviewing projects as part of a corporate initiative. We had seen these projects before and rejected them before because they didn't have much benefit. Now as part of new initiative, they were somehow more attractive? 
"Bring out your dead! Bring out all your dead projects! They'll seem healthy now."   This sparked a neuron and suddenly I began to see allusions to Monty Python and the Holy Grail everywhere I looked. Isn't business a lot like Monty Python's search for the Holy Grail?

Think about it. We have Arthur as the celebrity CEO, searching for best talent to fill his leadership team. Then the next thing they do is embark on the quest for the elusive strategic objective, I mean, the Holy Grail.  On the quest, they bring in a consultant, Tim the Enchanter, encounter some nasty competition (the French), decentralize and then re-centralize, and eventually get rounded up for fiscal irresponsibility. Isn't the scene where they determine the woman is witch by weighing her with a duck a lot like the way we make decisions in corporations? We'll rationalize anything to justify what we want to do. What about the guards in Swamp Castle who can't quite understand what they are supposed to guard?  Haven't you had conversations and emails just like that? 

This website will compare the movie with what we do in business. It's both funny and sad, really, because many of the scenes are right on the money. For those of you who are unfamiliar with or can't remember the movie, I'll recap the scenes, and I link to the script that's available on the internet.  But first, here's another reason why the Arthurian Legend works so well.

SAD-LIBS

THE CORPORATE FEUDAL SYSTEM  - CHOOSE ONE ANSWER

The (Medieval Ages, last few decades) are also known as the Dark Ages due to the lack of advancement in (the arts, literature, and science; business, economy, and government) during this period. Many people blame the stranglehold (the Church, economical dogma) had on society, and hence this period is also known as the (Age of Faith, Age of Wishful Thinking). The governing structure was a rigid hierarchy, known as the (feudal system, organizational structure) whereby the (nobility, executives) were able to maintain control of the (peasants, employees.) The (Kings, CEOs) were in possession of a huge amount of (lands, assets) and could not govern them effectively from a central position. Therefore, the (King, CEO) granted (manors, departments) to his (lords, vice-presidents) in return for their homage and fealty.  Likewise, the (lords, vice-presidents) granted (property, responsibility) to their (knights, managers) in return for their loyalty. The last people in this chain were the (serfs, staff) who usually ended up with only small (plots, cubicles).  In return, the (serfs, employees) agreed to obey their (lords, managers), work hard, and follow the rules laid down by (the lord’s court, corporate policies). 
 
There were various types of (serfs, employees), each with different degrees of (rights, respect.) A lucky few were (free serfs, entrepreneurs) who ran their own businesses while paying a large commission to the (lord, venture capitalists.) Most of the (serfs, employees) were not free and led miserable lives.  Forced to do the will of their (lord, employer), they looked to the wisdom of (the Church, management consultants) for relief.  Due to this, the (serfs, employees) mostly believed that if they worked hard, followed the word of the (clergy, latest management guru), gave their money to (the Church, their 401k) and did the (king’s bidding, latest corporate initiative), they would go to (heaven, Boca Rotan) in their (afterlife, retirement.)  Unfortunately, giving all their money to the (Church, 401K) did nothing to ensure a better life afterwards, but only served to make the (bishops, fund managers) very wealthy.

 

Posted by Karen Phelan.