When a new CEO takes up his job and succeeds an extremely strong and popular predecessor, he should seek advice. Because carving out your own profile under these powerful circumstances requires some planning.
The new British king was recently crowned. Few junior employees, royal or otherwise, have had to wait as long for a promotion as he has. If the British royal family had asked us for a management position, we would have been more than happy to develop an exclusive and individual CRIII* strategy for him.
A brief look back
The current king used to be quite a charmer, and the target of his interest was not exclusively his wife. There was “Tampon-Gate”, a very private phone call with longing, passionate and spicy content that became public. Kings are only human. Very much in love, sometimes.
As a father he appears inconspicuous, as a prince hard-working and full of integrity, Philipp the man is dedicated to sustainability. Even as a young man, he was committed to ecology. What seemed rather odd until a few years ago is now a real plus point and can be put to good use for the future profile. In his encounters with his stakeholders, he is approachable, interested and likeable. That makes good ground. But then, shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth, this gruff scene with the blotting pen. Human at any rate.
The picture today
The young conservationist in rubber boots of yesteryear has grown old and is now a grandfather several times over. All in all, not a hopeless, but also not an easy prerequisite for successfully positioning himself as king of a country with visions for a difficult future.
After all, the circumstances in the UK are also adverse, and change in the country is in full swing. Brexit has caused the UK to slide into economic difficulties. Large sections of society are facing existential problems, while the monarchy is swallowing up millions of pounds. Quite a few are shouting “Not my King” and countries in the Commonwealth are striving for independence from the crown. Where do we see his chances in this mixed situation?
Let’s look ahead: What does the king stand for?
Unfortunately, we can’t ask him how he wants to be perceived in the future, so we anticipate and rely on connection, togetherness and pride. If he wants to hold the country together now, he needs to make full use of his strengths. He is good with people, approaches them with an open mind, he can be down-to-earth without being ingratiating. His hobbyhorses – climate protection, ecology and agriculture – he can put to good use and develop from a hobby into a profession. This will enable him to win over young people in particular. For the glam factor, which is certainly one of the most important points of identification, he has Kate and William. He shouldn’t even try to keep up with them. He must honor the memory of the Queen, but also have the courage to develop his own profile with his own agenda. His target group is huge, very diverse and independent. The monarchy is now just a blunt sword, but at least it is a constant in times of constant change.
What (communicative) measures would we advise him to take?
- Less is more. The king cuts a good and competent figure in wellies and a wax jacket. His appearances should have more of a hands-on character.
- Even if traveling is exhausting – he should counter the cries of “Not my King” with “This is my Country” visits throughout the country. What moves people? What worries and needs do they have? This would fill a gap that politicians often find difficult to fill.
- He would have a lot of stories to tell about these encounters and experiences. We recommend a podcast in interview form in which he tells these stories and connects people in the country. He becomes the voice of the people. After all, radio speeches have a long tradition in the royal family as a precursor to podcasts. We can’t ask him if he would be comfortable with such a format, but we’re sure it could be a good fit. His grandchildren, children and confidants would be welcome guests in his format.
- He can leave the charity projects to his wife and the heir to the throne, as well as the glamorous appearances in grand gowns.
These would be our first recommendations. It would probably have an enormous reach in no time at all and therefore also strong advertising partners. The project has the potential to be a goldmine, which would even ease the burden on British taxpayers. Then sell a few more castles and get a grip on expenses. Zack – CRIII* would be financially independent and THAT would be a completely new and unique position for the monarchy.
*Charles Rex III – King Charles III
Picture: Midjourney