Slaying Dragons

One day I received an email from one of my future CEOs, it asked if I wanted to join his table when he became king; and become a knight in his service.  He wanted my sword to slay the dragons.  He wasn’t the king at the time, and I was only a serf on the lands farming what I could for my kingdom. 

He was the CEO that opened my mind and helped me realize that I had more to give.  Many people ask me why I became a CEO, and I always share a story about him. Although, this is the first time I have shared the story of dragons. 

For a long time, I always asked why I was noticed by the future king.  Before he came along, I gave no thought to what I could bring beyond what I was at the time.  I never asked him why he came to me, perhaps because I crafted a story in my own head when I fought a dragon, a mighty dragon that was in direct service to another king at the time.

This dragon was known in the kingdom to take flight and scorch lands for the king and at times the dragon was allowed to cause havoc with the people of the kingdom.  It was during a meeting of the lords and nobles of the kingdom when this dragon put his gaze on me and attacked.  He erupted with flames and claws, attacking how I was tending to the crops I was charged with.  Instead of fighting back, I took the hits in front of everyone.  I was angry, and everyone knew it, but I kept my tongue.  A bit later in the day after the meeting had finished, the king, the dragon, and what became my future king came to my farm.  The dragon was not done, and he showed up with fires stoked in his belly, ready to scorch me again. The king held him back this time, but the dragon wanted me to bow my head and apologize for causing him to attack me.  I did not and told the dragon, the king, and my future king that they could go, I had fields to tend to.  It is this interaction that I believe the future king took notice of me.

When the future king became the new king, I was knighted and found myself at his table.  He was the leader who looked to raise those around him.  He valued the success of everyone.  He was a mentoring CEO; my first.

at27

PS.  Oh yes, we had many emails that were written in a world of kings, dragons, and wizards.