While creating the Customer Roundtable Blueprint, a continuous mapping system of the Customer Dynamics to help forge strong customer relationships to achieve sustained growth, we found that the frontline activities, contrary to Porter’s value chain theory, don’t hold three, but four stages: Marketing, Sales, Service, and Success. We also found that each stage contains two steps, leading to 8 spokes. And since a customer lifecycle is ─ as suggested by the word ─ a cycle, we created a ’round map,’ hence the name RoundMap®, a portmanteau of roundtrip and roadmap.
Celtic Symbols: The Sun Cross and The Wheel of Taranis
Much later, we learned that two symbols are associated with the layout of RoundMap®: the Sun Cross (left) and the Wheel of Taranis (right).
The Sun Cross symbol, with its power to invoke the great cosmic forces, is believed to bless the Earth with fertility, life, abundance, prosperity, and peace. The cross in the Sun Wheel divides the circle into four parts, representing the solar calendar and marked by the solstices. These parts symbolize the four annual seasons, each with a significant influence on the agricultural cycles, thus emphasizing the Sun Cross’s role in the cycle of life.
The Wheel of Taranis is a circle with 8 spokes, representing lightning. It is a classic Druid symbol of a wheel, the hub of which signifies the center of the universe. Taranis was the Celtic god of thunder, represented by the sacred wheel, an important symbol in Celtic mythology. Known as the Thunderer, Taranis traveled across the world at incredible speeds.
The Celts revered lightning as a sacred sign, a manifestation of awe-inspiring power. To Native Indians, lightning is a symbol of truth. In Chinese myth, lightning is a symbol of fertility. In Native American wisdom, lightning is closely aligned with the thunderbird. This association deals with honesty, truth, and morality. These bolts strike down on those who misguide, mislead, or withhold the truth.
The Tao Te Ching, a sacred philosophical text, speaks of lightning in terms of fertility, to quote: “The powerful lightning bolt clings to the cloud to turn it to rain. It opens the womb, and soon there will be the birth of new life.” This refers to the regenerative power of rain initiated by the lightning bolt. Rain is a prime agricultural requirement, so lightning was a blessing and an occasion for celebration in this culture.
In more general terms, the Wheel could be seen as the source of inspiration, i.e., the (re)birth of new ideas and moral justice (truth).
The Meaning of Four: From Djed to Shi
As we’ve explored, the number four is not just a numerical value but a universal symbol that transcends cultures and beliefs. It’s not just a coincidence that we find it in the frontline, the four fundamental business models, the four governing aspects, and the four value strategies. This number, it seems, holds a deeper, more profound significance that we’re only beginning to understand.
Egyptian Hieroglyphs
In Egyptian hieroglyphs, the number 4 stands for completion, wholeness, fullness, order, and stability (strong foundation), depicted by the symbol Djed. This symbol was associated with the creator god Ptah and Osiris, the god of the afterlife. Djed also indicated place, referring to the four cardinal points, the four seasons, the four phases of the moon, and the four elements. The four directions symbolize diversity because each direction is independent of the other.
Four-leaf Clover
Many believe the four-leaf clover brings luck to the finder. Each leaf symbolizes something special: hope, faith, love, and luck.
Tarot Cards
In Tarot, the number four is the Emperor, representing material goods and worldly authority. Sitting on the throne, he understands that The Emperor is not alone. He is staring at you. You are included as a viewer on this card. What is The Emperor in your life? The ultimate achievement in life is to look at this card as a mirror. When you are the stabilizing force in your world, you are The Emperor of all you see.
The Four of Swords is a card about waiting for the moment to strike, secure in your knowledge, confident of your point of view. The Four of Wands illustrates the solid bonds of a relationship that will last throughout the years. The Four of Pentacles is about stable finances, albeit at the cost of enjoying what you have. The Four of Cups details a moment of not accepting love or the advances of someone promising emotional bonding (to keep our integrity).
India’s Four Castes
In India, there were four different castes (classes). Almost every person belonged to one of the four castes. Those who did not were known as the untouchables or Dalits. There were strict rules for what each caste could or could not do. Castes are forbidden but are still practiced in many parts of India.
The Fourth President of the United States of America
James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, was a key figure in creating the US Constitution (justice). His contributions are celebrated every 4th of July, Independence Day in the US.
Number Four in Christianity
Four is the number of the cross.
Chinese Tetraphobia
In many East Asian countries, the fear of the number 4 is a deeply rooted cultural phenomenon. The association of four with the four stages of life, particularly the fourth stage symbolizing decline or death, has led to this fear. The pronunciation of ‘four’ in these countries is similar to the word ‘death’ (shi), further reinforcing this cultural belief.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Russian painter Viktor Vasnetsov painted The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1887). The four illustrious figures represented Death, Famine, War, and Conquest.
