The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success
Anders Indset
256 pages, Wiley, 2024
In a world increasingly marked by uncertainty, global challenges like climate change, and the rapid rise of artificial general intelligence, many people find themselves grappling with a loss of lebendigkeit—the vitality and profound experience of truly being alive. Traditional notions of success and progress seem elusive amid the relentless pace of modern life. My new book The Viking Code: The Art and Science of Norwegian Success introduces the Viking Code as a life philosophy aimed at rekindling this lost vitality and meaning.
This excerpt delves into how we can build high-performance cultures rooted in enduring values, much like those seen in Norwegian society and among its world-class athletes. These individuals achieve remarkable success not merely through the pursuit of gold medals, fortune, or fame but by embracing daily micro-ambitions, fostering a broad skill set, and believing in the collective strength of their teams. Their journey exemplifies how the unification of individual aspirations and collective effort leads to compounded progress and externalized success.
By applying the Viking Code to business and leadership, we explore the concept of infinite organizations—entities that prioritize continuous growth, learning, and progress over short-term gains. These organizations move beyond the conventional work-life balance, embracing instead a life-life balance that accepts dynamic harmony over static equilibrium. They inspire individuals to take proactive steps toward personal and collective growth, reigniting their sense of purpose and lebendigkeit.
In this new paradigm, success is redefined. It’s not just about personal accolades or keeping pace with a rapidly changing world; it’s about experiencing the foundation of learning and progress and committing to a “Declaration of Interdependence.” By understanding that if the team, the collective, and your surroundings can progress, one can grow even more—creating an environment where both individuals and communities can thrive—a reinforcement learning model. What follows is a short excerpt where you can discover how the Viking Code and the principles of infinite organizations can inspire meaningful action and impact the economy and society in transformative ways.—Anders Inset
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Today, most organizations in the economy behave like participants in a finite game. They breathlessly chase the next quarterly profit, market share increase, and immediate gratification of short-term goals. In doing so, they strongly focus on satisfying market needs. This dynamic often resembles a sporting competition, where it’s about winning or losing. In times of crisis, these organizations react immediately and absolutely. If the quarterly goal fails, heads roll—regardless of whether the strategic direction is correct. In a fast-paced and complex market environment, short-term and absolute goals for ensuring measurability are set increasingly narrowly.
As complexity and speed increase, managers shorten their planning cycles and limit their environment to maintain control, rather than exploring the potentials and opportunities of the changed environment. With increasing uncertainty, short-term goals come to the forefront, and the long-term vision falls behind.
This finite view of organizations ultimately leads to the finiteness of the entire system itself due to increasing speed and complexity, similarly if one app on the operating system would take up all the resources, the system would come to a halt.
But amidst this frantic race, new types of organizations are emerging that recognize that the art of doing business can not be a finite game in the style of sports competitions, but an infinite game with a multitude of interconnected complexities. These organizations understand short-term changes as opportunities, where reactive behavior is part of long-term reflection. The infinite organizations are characterized above all by a lack of absolute definition. It consists of a recurring pursuit of progress, a dynamic understanding of short-term goals and long-term visions.
In the eighties and nineties, the focus shifted to short-term optimization and maximization. We witnessed the birth of the dot-com mentality and the glorification of shareholder value. A one-sided focus on optimization and short-term maximization, which in its extreme will lead to the finiteness and consequently to a collapse of the entire economic system. We now therefore recognize that an upgrade to our understanding and capitalistic model is needed.
What characterizes an infinite organization?
Infinite organizations are characterized by a high tolerance for ambiguity+ as they not only welcome contradictions, but they also love ‘the unknown’. They welcome complexities and see crises and changes—i.e., the unknown—as opportunities for progress. For infinite organizations, surprise is an opportunity to find creativity in uncertainty. They do not maximize for short-term economic success but optimize for permanence and infinity.
Infinite organizations do not only serve economic goals and the sole fulfillment of shareholder expectations but consider all stakeholders. In their actions, ecology and economy merge into a harmonious interplay. Social responsibility and a deep understanding of culture and ecosystems are integral parts of their DNA. They utilize the possibilities of technology and scientific progress. They measure what is measurable and introduce metrics that consider culture and human well-being as well as the entire ecology.
As an analogy for the infinite organization, let’s consider an example from sports. When a sudden injury occurs to an athlete, it opens a new basis for progress. Long-term positive developments and the associated crises require a renewed focus on progress. Transferring this thinking to an organization, we speak of an infinite organization. And here the relevance of the Viking Code and the analogy to the “modern Vikings” becomes clear. These athletes master not only the finite games; they are experts in setting measurable goals within the infinite games. They recognize that playing itself is the basis for every finite victory.
In infinite organizations, managers with finite thinking are not trained, but rather “infinite leaders.” These leaders know how to celebrate short-term successes–similar to athletes in competitions–but for them, the game does not end there. When a soccer player like Haaland scores goals and the game ends, it’s just one stage of his sporting journey. The Viking Code teaches us that in the moment—the now—it’s about achieving goals and winning victories, but the real success lies in continuous progress, in the journey and development. Athletes and leaders who follow the Viking Code understand that infinite progress—and thus the journey—is the basis for success. Qualitative input leads to accumulated output, from which progress can be derived.
Similar to the infinite progress mindset of a performance athlete who sees the journey as his goal and constantly strives for daily micro-ambitions, we can understand infinite organizations as communities whose members achieve their small daily progresses, which in sum lead to great success. The success of infinite organizations is often quiet, perhaps even inconspicuous. Here you will find no controlling, audible authority. In infinite organizations, management is part of the technology: tasks, overviews, and reports flow from the technology, while people act as leaders. They shape their own path, environment, and successes. They are on their individual journey and at the same time part of the collective. In infinite organizations, people come to learn and grow; it’s about constant progress.
In the quantum economy, where economics and ecology are synergistic and a new generation of conscious young people is emerging, it is these infinite organizations that understand that true success is not measured only in profits but in the positive impact they have on the world. Such organizations see beyond the here and now. It’s not just about being the best in the market but being the best for the world. Infinite organizations understand that in a rapidly changing world, success is a journey, not a destination.
The leaders, visionaries, and founders of these modern organizations are not caught in the familiar tug-of-war between work and life–the work-life balance. Instead, they dance to a different rhythm—the life-life balance—which can never be in balance. It’s a delicate dance, not of perfect balance but of dynamic harmony. The shapers of the infinite organization are not looking for a single, defined purpose. They embark on an infinite journey, not to a predetermined destination, but to an exciting journey into the unknown. The journey that is true entrepreneurship.
In this new paradigm, traditional definitions of management and leadership are being rewritten. Gone are the days of rigid structures. Now it’s about dynamics and the active capability to navigate through the uncertainties of the global market, while maintaining an unshakable core rooted in timeless principles.
The holistic perspective at the heart of the infinite organization is anchored in a robust ethos. Its design principles—the cultural dimension—reminiscent of the Viking Code, revolve around a willingness to learn and a pursuit of constant progress.
In the ecosystem—the external dimension—of the infinite organization, a dynamic balance prevails between competition, coexistence, and shared values. These are oriented towards both immediate needs and long-term aspirations. Today, this means building a connected, decentralized intelligence, forming strong local and regional identities, and aligning with global dependencies. In doing so, the organization strives for a balance between stability and receptivity to change.
The backbone of the infinite organization is the structural dimension–the management. Here, effectiveness, efficiency, and technological prowess converge. The foundation of the organization’s operational excellence is technology, which explores boundaries, explores new frontiers, and creates within defined parameters. Here, the infinite game is mastered through strategic clarity.
While today’s management focuses on executing tasks perfectly with technology, the true essence of leadership—the activating dimension—focuses on recognizing and pursuing what really matters: fostering a culture of excellence rooted in core values and ensuring positive progress through action. This perspective attempts to define the place of humans in an ever-evolving technological landscape, to give meaning and to steer life. With genuine leadership and trust, we move from a zero-sum game of absolute competition to a collaborative coexistence.
The concept of “infinity” is abstract, yet it is the foundation of the infinite organization. Such organizations are shaped through proactive engagement with progress. This proactive self-awareness is not derived from textbooks but is rooted in a deep understanding that ignites genuine motivation. It is the embodiment of the values of the Viking Code that shapes the path of leaders and is anchored in the culture of the infinite organization.
In the complexity of modern leadership, infinite leaders stand out. They are not swayed by the fleeting highs and lows of the market or the short-lived applause of the crowd. While traditional leadership traits–vision, strategy, charisma–remain relevant, the quantum economy demands more. It calls for leaders with insatiable curiosity, an unshakeable commitment to learning, and a genuine desire to unleash the (human) potential in their environment. They play not just to win; they play to keep the game going indefinitely. For the infinite leader, it’s not just about personal accolades or corporate milestones, but about creating positive impacts, nurturing ecosystems, and communicating narratives of progress that inspire future generations.
In this new era, leadership is no longer just a role or a title. It is a mindset, a philosophy, a way of life. It’s about grasping the broader perspective, understanding that balancing work and life is really about every step we take—and that true balance is always in motion. As the world approaches an uncertain future, infinite leaders stand unwavering, showing the way forward with wisdom, grace, and unshakeable determination.
Inspired by the Viking Code, these leaders embody resilience. They understand that setbacks are merely stepping stones, that every challenge is an invitation to innovate, and that every failure is a hidden lesson. Infinite leaders remain steadfast, always ready to adapt and evolve. They embody the tolerance for ambiguity+, to manage contradictions and handle the unknown. The infinite leader understands the collective as a “Dugnad” and contributes to the common good.
This is the allure of the infinite organization. It does not just function; it flourishes and draws vitality from the collective spirit of its members. It understands that the path to true excellence is not only marked by profits but also by a purpose. And as it sets its course in the complex world of economics, the Viking Code serves as its guiding star, leading it to a horizon where success and purpose are harmoniously intertwined.