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Who Sits At Your Round Table

You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.

Proverbs 27.17*

It was ordained of Arthur that when his fair fellowship sat to meat, their chairs should be high alike, their service equal, and none before or after his comrade. Thus no man could boast that he was exalted above his fellow, for all alike were gathered round the board, and none was alien at the breaking of Arthur's bread." Wace , Roman de Brut

One of the keys to success in life is learning to be a good judge of character. As Arthur began to build his team of fellow Knights we read that he was always listening for word of a Knight who was held in great esteem. What were the people saying about this Knight? What were those people whom this Knight would potentially be serving and protecting saying about him? Clearly what Arthur was listening for was news about a Knight whose character and level of skill was so exemplary, so outstanding, that people were in awe of him.

Notice that we are not told that these original Knights were clamoring to be chosen or lobbying to be adopted into the in-group. These Knights were chosen because of their character and their performance, not because they volunteered. Someone may be a really pleasant person, yet if they are not a man or woman who is renown for their character and performance they more than likely should not sit at your Round Table.

Arthur was, at first, not looking for men who showed promise or had potential. He was looking for Knights who already had a track record: men who had built a solid reputation over time. Certainly, in the world of business, there are teams with a lower level of responsibility where a man or woman can prove him or her self. However, when you are looking to build a team that is going to lead you or your corporation to greatness, you will want proven people around you.

In his book, Good to Great , Jim Collins writes about those Legendary Leaders who first got the right people onto the bus (and the wrong people off!), before fully deciding where the bus was headed. (Chapter 3 : First Who.Then What .) As Collins notes (page 43), great leaders understand three simple truths. First, if you have the right people on the bus you can then more easily adapt to whatever happens down the road. Second, there will never be a problem with motivating people. Third, if you have the wrong people, it doesn't matter whether or not you discover the right direction to move toward: having the wrong sort of people on the best will keep you from ever arriving at your destination (greatness).

Choosing great people to sit at your table requires a healthy degree of self-esteem and self-respect. Weak, self-centered people do not want other luminaries around them: they fear anyone who may eclipse their sun. Leaders with low self-esteem will most always gravitate toward weaker people: people who are easily swayed, seduced, manipulated or cowered. Men and women who aspire to become Legendary Leaders choose those people who, by their character, competence and vision, motivate everyone around them-including the Leader-to greatness.

Choosing great people to sit at your table requires an understanding of legendary greatness. If all you wish for is fame, if all you strive towards is to be "good enough to get by," or if all you really care about are the perks of greatness, then there will be no legacy of greatness, no legend that remains after you die. Men and women who aspire to legendary greatness, wish to leave a legacy that continues to symbolize all that they valued and the vision they carried in their hearts. To do this, to accomplish this sort of greatness, requires the gifts, talents, skills and wisdom of other people.

* Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright 2002, NavPress Publishing Group