Clarity Strategic^TM

The one in charge doesn't usually want bad news. Sometimes kings would kill the one who brought the bad tidings. So one of the historical functions of the King's Fool is that of passing on the news that nobody else would dare. In the mask of the jester, the Fool would bring up the questions that would otherwise never arise from any of the King's "yes people."

Because of the Fool's relative immunity from capital punishment, and because of the Fool's common use of humor and symbolism to express truth and possible outcomes, the Fool would be entrusted with something from almost everyone around - and would in turn give the King something to think about, while leaving everyone else anonymous.

Sometimes people in business talk about management needing its own Fool. And at times, companies have a function not totally unlike one. But they don't list that among job descriptions, and I dunno, maybe the whole gig has fallen out of favor. But I'm resurrecting it for my own use. Because I often work with companies very new - with people in charge who are too harried, nervous, inexperienced, maybe full of preconceived notions - who knows? - to always ask the hard questions. to always compare the worst that could happen to what might actually HAPPEN.

So here I am: a new-age King's Fool. Nobody's got a list of characteristics out there for that position, so it falls to me to come up with one.

The Qualifications of a King's Fool

Protected by GTFW

• Willing to take a chance on the King's displeasure. (This of course works better if a deal is worked out in advance.)
• Willing to set aside the feelings of others in favor of the survival of the business. (This of course works better if the feelings of others are considered SOMETIME.)
• Willing not to fight the King over any particular point.
• Willing never to say "I told you so." Let the King figure that out.

Good-Humored

• Able to see the ridiculous side of anything that happens.
• Able to postulate extreme and unusual ways for things to go wrong.
• Willing to help the King, and everyone else, look on the bright side of life.
• Able to make others laugh, at least occasionally.

Observant

• Willing to hear the point of view of all stakeholders, without revealing to whom the points of view belong.
• Able to summarize alternative points of view in a hurry, verbally or in writing.
• Able to think on your feet.
• Able to break through adjectives, adverbs and hype language to get to actions and their possible consequences.

Now, as is anyone, I'm better at some of that stuff than at others, so I just have to hope the King only needs what I do well and won't lop off my head over the rest. :-)

You know what all this boils down to? The Fool isn't discovering anything the King could not. The Fool just forces the King to look for answers in directions that would normally remain unexplored.