“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible” wrote T.E. Lawrence in his classic The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
Nothing new under the sun. How does one become a ‘dreamer of the day’? What are the business lessons one can learn from T.E. Lawrence, who at 27, a century ago was leading the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule with an innovative approach?
Are the management ideas of being agile, design thinking and the importance of building trust and rapport really new? How can one apply Lawrence’s thinking to gain the proverbial competitive advantage?
An enigmatic figure, Lawrence had a significant impact in shaping the history of the Middle East. Not following convention, as an officer he often appeared disheveled, shunning the traditional uniform.
Having already become a national hero, he advocated for the Arab right to independence in the Peace Conference period in Paris from October 1918 to September 1919.
In a period of staid rigid colonialism, his ‘right to independence’ thinking was light years ahead of its time, with a result that contributed to the creation of, for instance, modern day Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
Lawrence, forever known to history as "Lawrence of Arabia" and immortalised in film, exceeded the expectations of both his superiors and allies -- by helping the British and Arabs defeat the Ottomans in World War I.
Lawrence was considerably younger and less experienced than other British officers working with Arab forces -- roughly 100 years ago -- but Lawrence's respect for and understanding of his allies' culture proved crucial to his success.
He spoke fluent Arabic, and with his training in archaeology and study of medieval history from his time at Oxford, he was able apply insights, that others missed.
Develop trust and rapport
In 1917, Lawrence was commissioned by the British military to write a pamphlet about his thoughts on working alongside Bedouin forces.
He notes that the resulting principles, named "27 Articles" republished on their 100th anniversary, "apply only to the Bedu," but among these guidelines are universal truths about effective leadership, that are taught today.
These insights may have been born from a military alliance with Bedouin tribes for a specific period of history, but they apply in the age of social media and AI, as summarised by Richard Feloni:
“Do not aggressively implement your plans as soon as you are put in charge. "Go easy for the first few weeks. A bad start is difficult to atone for," Lawrence wrote.
Learn about your team members as individuals. Learn their personal interests and aspirations. Lead your people to favorable decisions rather than demanding them.
It is better to increase another's prestige at the expense of your own. Maintain a constant dialogue instead of confining check-ins to infrequent, structured meetings.
"Formal visits to give advice are not so good as the constant dropping of ideas in casual talk," Lawrence wrote.
Have a healthy relationship with your team members without growing too close to them. You can harm your integrity if friendships compromise difficult but necessary decisions. Keep your profile as low as you can.
"Your ideal position is when you are present and not noticed," Lawrence wrote. Again, do not let ego distract you from your role of inspiring action.”
Lawrence’s [management] approach was different from others.
“Feisal must also have sensed that Lawrence’s commitment to the Arab cause was quite unlike the attitude of other British officers in the Hejaz. The lack of sympathy with the Revolt so often evident in their reports must have been reflected in their behaviour” observed Lawrence Freedman.
Distinct strategy
Lawrence understood from his study of history at Jesus College at Oxford that that there was a world of difference between an over arching strategy, and a plan and tactics. In the twinkling of an eye, there may be a need for a [business] strategy to change when the situation radically shifts.
‘Predicable unpredictability’ was present in the Arab Revolt from September 1915 to October 1916 -- just as it is a constant in 2025.
Lawrence was able to work with various Bedouin tribal leaders -- who in the past had difficultly trusting each other and working together -- to try and defeat Ottoman rule.
One of his most famous successes was in capturing Akaba from the Ottoman’s in a campaign from July to August 1917. Akaba was a key strategic position on the shores of the Red Sea, that was thought to be impossible to capture from the coast, based on the fact is it heavily fortified, well protected from the sea.
Lawrence followed the dictum – think different. If it can’t be captured from the front, what about the back?
“He had studied military strategy sufficiently to look at such problems from more than one angle, and he saw that in the case of the Wadi Itm there was indeed an alternative option. Assault on the Turkish defences by a force landed at Akaba would be futile, but the Wadi Itm track might well be captured through a surprise attack at the inland end” wrote Freedman.
In October 1918, after receiving a summons from King George V to Buckingham Palace, the then 30-year-old Lawrence, politely declined a knighthood, with his feeling that he did not deserve it.
