“The Firm” Is In Action Again
“We’re not a family, we’re a firm.” It’s a revealing line, spoken by George VI (played by Colin Firth) in the movie The King’s Speech. The statement does a great deal to explain the longevity of the British monarchy and the appeal it continues to enjoy in the modern world – despite the fact that most reasonable people would probably consider the institution to be archaic.
The latest visit from the high profile representatives – the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their royal tour to British Columbia – is an important example for any enterprise wishing to succeed over the long term.
Organized. Well briefed. Hard-working. Punctual. Polite. Helpful. Agreeable. Engaging. Dedicated lobbyists for causes they believe in. And perhaps most important of all, they are tireless cultivators of their constituency. These are just a few of the qualities of any business with a long term commitment to survival, prosperity and growth.
A recent report, published by Brand Finance – a brand valuation consultancy – has given the British monarchy a market capitalization value of £44.5 billion. While that figure includes assets such as the crown jewels and all those royal palaces, the monarchy is reckoned to be worth an additional £26.4 billion because of the economic benefits it brings to the UK, through the boost it delivers to tourism, other industries and exports.
Archaic as they might be considered, the numbers don’t lie. The British monarchy underscores the value of building wealth over the long term as well as the power of cultivating and maintaining lifelong relationships.
