The art of succeeding and managing a business is a discipline that the Vikings have refined. This could not have been accomplished without the Viking laws. Do they still serve a purpose?
The Vikings are notorious as warriors, merchants and explorers. They even discovered America five hundred years before Christopher Columbus. Their boats were very advanced for the time, suitable both for the river and the sea, and could even be transported by land. Trading became of great importance to the Vikings as a supplement to the raidings during the whole year and not only reserved for the long cold winter. Due to the expansion of trade routes and the establishment of trading centres they adopted a bullion economy. The Viking trade network even supported restoring the European economy after the Roman Empire collapsed.
A valid question is what happened to the Vikings? The raids become less desirable and profitable compared to development in trading and agriculture. At the same time, there was considerable pressure to convert to Christianity if they wanted to continue to trade. The Vikings made their mind in one or another way and accepted the adoption of Christianity as their religion but they still kept their beliefs. Evidence suggests that the Vikings adopted different beliefs and religious aspects along the road that could bring them protection and prosperity. The Vikings simply out-performed themselves through adaptation to continue their businesses. They then transformed into Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and so on.
The Viking legacy still lives on and indeed in the recent era of pop-culture. It has even inspired modern business people for quite some time. To be a Viking is a trade more than anything else. It means that everyone no matter of heritage actually can become a Viking, however, the mentality defines and decides it by the end of the day. A strong spirit is good but a collective spirit is even better. The Viking laws were implemented to secure a common understanding and approach. This truly made the Vikings greater. The Viking laws were kept simple long before it was affordable to make life into a complex size and matter.
There are four main Viking laws and each of them is supported by sub-rules:
§ Be Brave and Aggressive
Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of attack
Be versatile and agile
Attack one target at a time
Don’t plan everything in detail
Use top-quality weapons
§ Be Prepared
Keep weapons in good condition
Keep in shape
Find good battle comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one chief
§ Be a Good Merchant
Find out what the market needs
Don’t make promises that you can’t keep
Don’t demand overpayment
Arrange things so that you can return
§ Keep the Camp In Order
Keep things tidy and organized
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
Make sure everyone does useful work
Consult all members of the group for advice
The Viking laws are practically oriented and rooted in self-discipline. The individuals’ actions contribute to a common goal through a coordinated pattern. This is a powerful approach for a flat organisation that is focusing on beneficial transactions. The Vikings were nothing without the group nor the individuals. Nevertheless, the laws and their sub-rules cover many disciplines of today e.g. business management and warfare terminology. It can be used in ordinary commerce as well.
We found ourselves in a process where we recognised that we were having a lot in common with the Viking laws. We examined our way of working to get a deeper understanding of ourselves. Furthermore, we added our goal and vision in the process. We found the source of our business and it immediately rewarded us with harmony. The Viking laws made us look inwards. The “why” was answered and we felt more empowered and more connected than ever before. Now we know and feel that what we are doing is purposeful. It helps us to overcome challenges together and even obtain to be in-the-zone. Now all makes more sense to us because we know who we are. It is also beneficial for our stakeholders and it supports the growth of long-term relationships.
The Viking laws have been culturally adapted and altered as our values. They didn’t only serve as inspiration but they were the core of our values deeply inside of us. The sounding of them has changed to meet the tone-of-voice of our time. They are still kept simple so no further adjustments are needed – they work.
💪 Be Brave
Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of approach
Be versatile and agile
Approach one target at a time
Don’t plan everything in detail
Use top-quality tools
✋ Be Prepared
Keep systems in good condition
Keep in shape
Find good campaign comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one leader
👍 Be a Good Merchant
Find out what the market needs
Don’t make promises that you can’t keep
Don’t demand overpayment
Arrange things so that you can return
✌ Keep the Camp In Order
Keep things tidy and organised
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the organisation
Make sure everyone does useful work
Consult all members of the group for advice
To be a commercial Viking is rewarding so there is no need to become a raiding one. Is indeed a way of living and working. In our organisation, we support each other as a dynamic unity and that is how we can overcome even a tough day. We all contribute to a healthy business. Tommy our Lead Consultant is exceptionally good at being direct and gets to the point with a smile. Morten our Consultant & Team Lead it fantastic at administering and organising the business. Darius our Lead Developer is amazing at creating the solutions and solving the issues with a toolbox of wonders. We are all performing the values in one or the other way so we can claim our goals. That is why we are happy to share our values and this is also a good opportunity to connect.
Stay up-to-date and connect with us on LinkedIn. We are friendly Vikings, after all, both when it comes to formally and informally meetings. Hit the “Let’s talk” button so we can start our journey together. Glory and honour await us! Friendly regards, the Viking Consulting team