The term, Janteloven, was coined in the work of Danish author Axel Sandemose in 1933 in a novel entitled A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks. In the story, the main character commits a murder when he is a young man, and the conformist values of his hometown of Jante are viewed as responsible for the murder. It is determined that the values of his community destroyed the individualistic spirit of his boyhood. Although Sandmose himself did not insist these laws were exclusively Danish, they have come to be associated with Danish and general Nordic values.

Janteloven is generally understood as a metaphor that epitomizes the negative values of group mentality. It has been interpreted as a set of laws that discourages “individuality, individual achievement, novelty of thought and action, spontaneity, variety and competition….encourages sameness, insidious deceitfulness, jealousy, mediocrity, and complacency”.

The law of Jante (“Janteloven”) has 10 commandments:

• You shall not think that you are special.
• You shall not think that you are of the same standing as us.
• You shall not think that you are smarter than us.
• Don't fancy yourself as being better than us.
• You shall not think that you know more than us.
• You shall not think that you are more important than us.
• You shall not think that you are good at anything.
• You shall not laugh at us.
• You shall not think that anyone cares about you.
• You shall not think that you can teach us anything.

This is a soul-killing life philosophy and results in being left behind in relationships, careers and society in general. It leads to failure. It is not a viable solution in the modern world for creating fruitful personal relationships, families or careers. If you are ready to break free of this cripling philosophy and transform your society and yourself by being a leader - then coaching is for you!