There is nothing quite like the anniversary of something from popular culture to put time into perspective and make you feel old. As this week we mark the 20th anniversary since the publication of the first Harry Potter book, this will either make you think back to reading the books in your younger, more care free days, or remind you of reading the books to your children.
One of the most iconic chapters from the first book is when Harry puts on the sorting hat to determine which house he will be put into at Hogwarts. Each of the four houses represent different characteristics and personalities depicting how they are now, but also how they will develop into adults. Whilst we were considering which house we would have been sorted into, this got us thinking, can you spot these personality traits in your CEO, and which house would they have been sorted into? If you think it’s Slytherin, probably best not to tell them…
Hufflepuff
The main traits of the house of Hufflepuff are those of kindness, dedication, hard work and loyalty. If your CEO would have been sorted into Hufflepuff, then you are definitely working for a company that cares about its employees. The class that Hufflepuff students often excel in is herbology, due to their affinity with the natural world, so hitting your paperless targets should be a breeze.
Ravenclaw
Members of this house characterised by their wit, creativity, learning and wisdom. Often noted as being fiercely competitive, if your CEO fits into the house of Ravenclaw, then your organisation is on the path to success, but feel pity for anyone stood in your way.
Slytherin
If taken at face value, the traits of ambition, resourcefulness and intelligence are ones to be highly prized at the top of any organisation, however the addition of cunning into that attribute list is where things can start to go wrong. Renowned for liking things to be done ‘the traditional way’, embracing change and diversity would be a challenge for any CEO from the house of Slytherin.
Gryffindor
Finally, we reach the house that most Harry Potter fans would want to associate with, the house of Harry himself. The traits of Gryffindor are ones of bravery, chivalry, daring and courage, all admirable traits for any CEO. What seems to set Gryffindor apart from the rest is the willingness to stand up for what’s right, although sometimes this leads to them stepping over the boundaries.
Which house was your CEO sorted into?
Whilst having a CEO from any one of these fine houses on paper would be fine, the important thing is that your board be a broad mix from each house, to ensure that you get the best of all the personality traits and to avoid one or two dominant personalities akin to the likes of Slytherin having too much influence – we all know how that turned out!
