What Leadership Lessons Can You Learn From Your Favorite Game Of Thrones Character

What Leadership Lessons Can You Learn From Your Favorite Game of Thrones Character? Spoiler Alert: The following article accommodates spoilers from all 3 seasons of Game of Thrones. Read at your personal risk! If there’s one thing the fictional land of Westeros doesn’t lack, it’s leaders. The place is positively overflowing with ambitious men and women who are starving to realize power and influence â€" some doing a better job at it than others. While it’s unlikely your office accommodates dragon-wielding managers or tyrannical child bosses, all business leaders can benefit from paying attention to what actions and traits result in the triumphs and failures of those characters we love (and love to hate). Daenerys Targaryen: Do Inspire It’s been superb to watch Daenarys come into her personal as a frontrunner. What’s been most spectacular is her ability to encourage intense loyalty via her quiet strength and kindness. Khaleesi followers will all bear in mind the second she gained the respect and repair of her military of eight,000 Unsullied. In an unexpected flip of events, Daenerys offers the enslaved soldiers their freedom after she’d already purchased them. However, all of them wordlessly comply with battle for her anyway. This method can teach leaders so much about the way to gain true loyalty from workers. Though the troopers would have fought for her out of duty, we assume they'll fight more passionately now that they've chosen to be there. While those who work underneath you may do what you say out of responsibility, wouldn’t it be good if additionally they listened to you out of genuine respect? Daenerys doesn’t apply Machiavellian principles of leadership, and neither must you â€" these practices just breed contempt. Be authentic, communicate respect and keep away from intimidation tactics. Tyrion Lannister: Do Seize Opportunity Tyrion Lannister could also be small in stature, but he is not in any respect in need of character. Not solely does he have a firm conscience; he’s got the courage to speak up when he sees a violation of those ethics, even though he’s rarely taken critically. Even although most individuals appear to think of him as a punchline, Tyrion continues to soldier on and do what he is aware of have to be done. Both leaders and leaders-to-be ought to be aware of the truth that the littlest Lannister was the one who saved the day together with his secret Wild Fire plan when Stannis Baratheon attacked King’s Landing. Like Tyrion, you may not be the top honcho in your organization, however that shouldn’t stop you from addressing the massive questions and stepping as much as offer concepts. It wasn’t really in his job description, however Tyrion labored behind the scenes to unravel a problem he saw coming. Though you should be cautious to not step in your superiors’ toes, you shouldn†™t stay quiet if you have something potentially genius to add to the conversation. Jaime Lannister: Do Pay Your Debts Up until the end of Season three, the good-looking Kingslayer appeared practically as evil as his little nephew/son, Joffrey. But, after all, “a Lannister at all times pays his money owed.” What finally saves Jaime from the viewers’s everlasting hatred is his relationship withBrienne of Tarth. They are each witness to 1 one other’s horrible struggling by the hands of a group from House Bolton, which builds a sort of bond between them. She cares for him after he has his hand minimize off and comforts him after an emotional breakdown over the true occasions of the infamous king slaying. After he’s set free, he sees Brienne being made to struggle a bear. He might very properly let her die, however he steps in and rescues her. Leaders would do properly to be inspire by the Lannisters’ dedication to paying their debts. You ought to hold a mental log of all those that have saved your hide in troublesome situations. No matter how excessive you rise within the ranks, by no means hesitate to repay these past favors when you can, regardless of whether or not or not it advantages you now. Rob Stark: Don’t Break a Promise Rob Stark’s demise is, arguably, essentially the most difficult and coronary heart-wrenching turn of occasions within the show thus far. When Rob, his wife, his men and his noble mom Catelyn are all summarily slaughtered by the vindictive Walder Frey at the infamous Red Wedding, we abruptly perceive the excessive value of breaking a promise. To acquire access to a valuable bridge, Rob promised to marry certainly one of Frey’s numerous daughters. We must remember that Rob was a mere hormone-addled teenager who forgot his promise as soon as he laid eyes on the comely Talisa. But the truth that Rob can’t hold a promise has far-reaching consequences that will probably reverberate for years to come back. The lesson for leaders is that your word ought to be gold, as a result of once it’s tarnished, there’s no going again. In enterprise, many agreements are made verbally, and it’s critical that you just establish yourself as someone who could be trusted to observe via on a promi se. If you frequently go back in your word, you and your loved ones is probably not slaughtered by a lecherous old man, but your staff will lose faith in you, which is almost as bad. Joffrey Baratheon: Don’t Demand Respect “King” Joffrey is probably probably the most clearly evil character within the story. We actually have but to see any redeeming qualities. His title is in quotation marks as a result of he is primarily a figurehead with little real energy and no genetic proper to own the Iron Throne. Despite all of this, he's a cruel despot who demands respect merely because of his position. Needless to say, he doesn’t get that respect. Just since you’re the boss, that doesn’t mean folks respect you. And they are certain to despise you should you throw your weight round due to your authority. No one likes a power trip, least of all those who work beneath you. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Joffrey comes throughout as a petulant, laughable puppet due to his failure to hearken to these around him. His worry of appearing weak prevents him from changing into robust. As a leader, you must put on your authority with grace and quiet energy â€" true leaders hardly ever need to shout about thei r energy. Ned Stark: Don’t Act Without a Plan Dear, noble Eddard Stark was the primary beloved character to be taken from us, and all because of his unwavering honor and honesty. Of course we admire Ned for his willingness to publicly reject Joffrey’s illegal claim to the throne, however we additionally see that he type of introduced that beheading on himself â€" did he actually assume Joffrey would stand for such blatant treason? Ned would have been wise, instead, to maintain his information underneath wraps till he had a strong plan and a bunch of allies on the prepared. There will certainly be conflicts in which you're positively sure you’re proper. But, earlier than you rally in opposition to your opponent, you need to contemplate how doing so would possibly make you vulnerable. Don’t let your passion or emotions run away with you earlier than you’ve thought things by way of. Instead, play the situation out in your head before leaping to action. You simply may discover it’s best to attend it out and do a bit more p reparation earlier than starting a campaign. Think how different Ned’s destiny would have been totally different had he waited. The great thing about Game of Thrones is that just about each character has a considerably ambiguous morality â€" the best have important flaws and the worst have saving graces. While their problems may be quite foreign to us, their underlying qualities and internal struggles are similar to our personal. As a frontrunner in your realm, you can certainly study a number of priceless lessons from the most effective and the worst leaders of Westeros. And, as you watch the brand new season, hold your eye out for both the tragic errors that lead to one’s downfall and the shining examples of management that encourage you to do higher. What has Westeros taught you about leadership in your individual life? Share in the feedback! Image: Flickr