Core Values

Inspirations from a legend

Meet us and our core values

As the story goes, an oracle decreed that whoever unravelled the Gordian knot would become the ruler of all Asia. After some four decades and many failed attempts to untie the knot, in 333 B.C. Alexander the Great marched his army into the Phrygian capital of Gordium (in modern day Turkey). When faced with the puzzle of the Gordian knot, after some contemplation he simply drew his sword and sliced the knot in two with one swift move.

Straightforward

Get to the heart of the matter quickly, without wasting time on superfluous details

Over time, the phrase “cutting the Gordian knot” came to mean solving an intricate problem in an ingenious, courageous and efficient way.

„Most modern decision makers want to be […] bold, confident and smart in their use of information. Alexander, when faced with the problem of the Gordian knot, did not form a Gordian-knot committee. He did not ask for reports documenting the legend or describing the knot. Nor did he request an analysis of its public relations impact. Alexander did not ask for feasibility studies, financial analyses, risk studies or legal opinion. He simply cut the knot.”  (Quote from The Gordian Knot: A Parable for Decision Makers, an essay by Richard Sharwood Cates in Management Review, Dec 1990)

Innovative

Come up with innovative solutions: fresh spirit, innovative mindset, thinking outside the box

The Gordian Knot is often also seen as an example of solving a problem in an entirely original way.  “A problem that cannot be solved on the same level, with the same thinking which created the problem.  It is solved by transcending the problem, seeing it from a higher perspective… seeing there was never actually a problem in the first place.”

Sophistication and versatility

Top level education combined with substantial hands-on business experience. Theory and practice.

In his early years, King Philip II, Alexander the Great’s father hired the philosopher Aristotle to tutor his son. Aristotle taught Alexander philosophy, poetry, drama, science and politics. Homer’s Iliad for example inspired Alexander to dream of becoming a heroic warrior and he is said to have carried with him a version abridged by Aristotle on his military campaigns.

Alexander the Great became a man of excellent education, equipped with state of the art knowledge of his times to draw from during his later years to become a great ruler, famous for exquisite military strategies.

Priority: a job well done

Quality and customer satisfaction

In another reading, in those superstitious times the inability to untie the knot was considered a bad omen. Walking away with the puzzle left unresolved was not an option for Alexander the Great as it could have undermined morale in his troops. His action was not only satisfying and reassuring for those around him at the time but also secured in iconic status for the legend for the next two thousand years.