A healthy team: Merlin, the wise prophet

Merlin plays a rather important and unique role in nearly all of Arthur’s life. Not the most important role though, since Arthur consciously divided his attention between all his advisors. Merlin was a truly gifted and very loyal and honourable man. A combination of characteristics that one does not find easily. An interesting observation can be made here. Quite often, similar people attract each other. Narcissistic leaders often have narcissistic advisors. Manipulative leaders often have manipulative advisors. Fearful leaders often have fearful advisors. Just like a nation usually has the leadership that they (often unconsciously) desire and therefore deserve, it seems that a leader also has the advisors that he/she deserves.

Uther Pendragon had, for instance, Morgan le Fay (Arthur’s half sister) as his counsellor. Just like him, she was possessed by the desire for more power. They had a love-hate relationship, which bound them together for life. Arthur, on the other hand, with his intellectual interest, his willingness to learn, his integrity and loyalty, attracted someone like Merlin (who – again – possessed many of the same positive qualities).

Unsurprisingly, the impact that Merlin had on Arthur was a very positive one. Yet, who exactly was this Merlin? There have also been numerous books written about him, but given the scope of this book, I will just give you a quick characterization. Merlin was:

• An intellectual, who remained inquisitive and willing to learn his entire life;
• A master in wisdom, who combined a keen intellect with love and dedication;
• An excellent coach, who stimulated others by asking the right questions, to come up with their own creative solutions;
• A physician, who understood the body as well as the mind of the human being;
• A spiritual man, who did not believe in the supernatural, but had a keen eye and heart for the wonders of the world;
• A truly loyal friend, who was prepared to give his life for those he loved;
• A man of servitude, who joined King Arthur on his campaigns, where he proved himself to be an important strategist, counsellor and surgeon.

Why though, would you want a 21^st century Merlin in your team, who contributes mostly indirectly (as a counsellor and mentor), instead of directly (for instance as a salesman or a production assistant) to the success of your team? Let me put it this way: when you want to develop a strong and healthy team that is productive and successful in the long run, you will need to invest in the effectivity and creativity of your production, but you also need to invest in the quality and motivation of your team members! To do that, a Merlin-like advisor/mentor might be the ideal addition to your team, ensuring its success. Such a position does not necessarily have to be filled in by a full-time job. It could also be a subtask of one of your current team members, one who appears to possess the right character traits. Here are some of the possible qualifications such a team member should possess, followed by a few possible subtasks:

Qualifications:

• Keen intellect and a willingness to learn
• Competent strategist and creative thinker
• Strongly developed coaching qualities
• Very high commitment towards the team leader, the other team members and the mission of the team
• Assertive and yet a true servant

Subtasks:

• Guard and inspire the core values of the team (role of the prophet)
• Co-design the mission, vision and strategy (role of the strategist)
• Coach and mentor to stimulate the personal and professional growth of the others on the team

Again, some questions for you:

1. Do you know someone who could take on the role of Merlin within your team?
2. Who could help to train this person during the next year, to help him grow into that role?
3. How could you introduce this Merlin to the group?