6 Lessons from the Game of Thrones Finale!

Around 2 weeks ago, an 8-year long TV marathon called Game of Thrones came to an end. There was a lot of chatter and bad press around how it all ended. There were petitions to remake the whole season. Whether a beloved character was treated the right way or not could be a topic of debate until the cows come home! But there were quite a few business and life lessons that could be learned from the finale...Here are a few that I could think about.

(SPOILER ALERT: If for some reason you have not seen the show/finale and would like to...you can revisit this post after you have!)

1. Conquering and ruling are different things altogether:

For a better part of the series, Daenarys Targaryan was an upcoming ruler who started her enterprise with a handful of soldiers. She had an innovative product with no competition and a lifelong patent (3 Dragons). She used her reputation and charisma to expand her influence and grow her company. In the process, she outsmarted and outmaneuvered much older and larger competitors. She had a good diverse set of advisors. At times she took their advice. At other times, she followed her instincts taking risks that paid off. As her brand and power grew, she wanted to dominate the market. As she moved her sphere of influence from a smaller market (Essos) to a bigger one (Westeros), she did not care to understand the nuances. She started taking some reckless decisions and developed a God complex. She lost some of her trusted advisors to death or loss of faith. She tried to run her big enterprise through centralized leadership and lost trust in her team. She believed that she knew better. She took objections from her council as treasonous behavior. She failed to realize that the enterprise that she built was much bigger than her. Ultimately, she ended up completely unraveling and destroying the very market she wanted to win over.

She was much like a CEO of a Start-up (...or should we say Dragon :)) who is able to grow the company admirably to a big enough size...but has trouble evolving his/her role as the company goes mainstream. Steve Jobs was a brilliant man who started Apple and grew it in the first phase of its existence. But after the company went public, he had major skirmishes with the CEO. Ultimately, he was fired by the Apple board of Directors (or he left of his own accord in a different narrative...also coming back to lead the company successfully later in his life). Google, on the other hand, managed the transition from a startup to a public company better. They hired an experienced CEO, Eric Schmidt to lead the growth phase and groomed Larry Page into the role over the years. The skills needed to create value in a startup space may not always work once the company grows to a certain size. And if the leader does not transition well, then the "Jon Snow's of the world" have to make tough calls.

2. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck...it is a duck

In the days leading up to the day of the final battle, Daenerys had shown clear signs of turning into a tyrant. She had burned down former advisors and gone after allies with threats and warnings. Anyone with a thinking mind could have deduced the turn of events to be catastrophic for the realm. A few characters (Varys, Jon, and Tyrion) noticed this transition in front of them. One of them was punished for acting in the interest of the realm against a certain tyrant. The other two looked the other way and hoped that Danaerys would decide against her worst instincts. They went with hope and faith over hard evidence. They lived to regret this and saw a mass genocide, for which they were as much to blame.

Much like Jon and Tyrion, sometimes people we work with also tell us exactly who they are and what they are motivated by. These may not be mega moments. Instead, they are micro-moments that provide insight into their values and modus operandi. When one plays a round of Golf with a potential business partner, it is a good opportunity to notice whether he/she adheres to the rules or not. A subtle attempt to move the ball slightly for a more convenient putt can tell you a lot about the importance of integrity in their life. Not everyone will give out signals of being a tyrant of course. These signs are subtler in nature. But, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck....it is a duck!

3. Know what you want and assert your choice when the moment is right:

In the council of the seven kingdoms that meets to decide the fate of the realm, Sansa Stark represents the North. They discuss as to who should be the next ruler of the seven kingdoms. She does not speak till everyone else has pledged their support to her brother Bran to be the anointed king. Once she is convinced that Bran is a clear choice, she capitalizes on the opportunity and claims independence for the North Kingdom. Was this sudden? Looking at her actions in the past episodes, she has been angling for this outcome. In other words, she knew what was good for her people, she knew what she wanted and she was wise enough to pick the right moment to ask for it.

Many of us, have been in situations at work where we have an opportunity to ask for what we want or need. In some cases, we are caught unprepared while in some we are unsure whether it is the right moment. One cannot really plan for the latter, but what every one of us should always have some clarity around what we want and need. When the opportunity presents itself, we should be ready to seize the day and become the Queen or King in the North!

4. Be in the know of your perceived brand in the room you are addressing:

Right before Bran is chosen as the King, a non-central character (Edmure Tully) tries to assert himself on the throne. He does not have any claim on it by way of birth or aptitude. In fact, his ineptitude has been proven multiple times before as he mumbles on about being a senior lord with experience ready to take on the burden of the realm. And when he does so, he himself seems unconvinced about the idea. His claim is comically squashed by his niece, who commands him to sit down, to which he complies without protest.

Many times in life, we are vying for opportunities that can take us places. In some cases, we may be perfect for the role. But we could also have some baggage from our past experience and hence, a perceived brand. Think of someone who may be highly detail oriented going after a strategic big-picture role. Though they could pull off a big picture vision, it is easy to assume the opposite. In another instance, think about someone who has been an adrenaline junkie trying to get into a career that needs one to be extremely risk-averse for eg. Childcare. None of us can change what we bring to the table from our earlier experiences. However, it is important to be aware of your perceived brand image and any associated negative connotation with respect to the opportunity you are pursuing. Recognition of the risk does not guarantee success. But it does help one build a case against it proactively. In the case of Edmure Tully, he should have surely known that he was not seen to be capable enough for the job. While his inability to shoot a straight arrow in battle or otherwise is a sore point for his generals, it should not have put him out of contention for the job itself. If he had addressed this up front instead of masking it with a fake sense of entitlement and achievement, he could have made a case for himself (even if he would not have received any support....I mean c' mon Edmure as the King!?).

5. Sometimes the people who appear to be the obvious choice, are NOT and the ones that don't appear to be, ARE:

The show ends with King Bran 'the Broken' (CEO) on the most powerful throne while other much stronger contenders are brushed aside. King's Hand (COO) is Tyrion Lannister, a banished ex-noble who may not have the theatric presence in public but has the wits and brains to tackle problems of the realm. The Master of Coin (CFO) is Bronn, an ex-sell sword who is known to cater to the highest bidder but has shown more integrity than much nobler characters. The Head of the Kingsguard (Army Chief) is a Lady in a predominantly male profession (in the then medieval world), who has shown exemplary courage and honor against all odds. The Master of Ships (Naval Chief) is an ex-pirate, who has redeemed himself with his good deeds over time. The Grand Archmaester (Hmm can't think of a corporate title...any suggestions), is an ex-Lord/ex-Lord who followed his dreams and gained a degree in Archmaestery faster than other people could. On first look, this seems like a motley crew that is unfit, given their resume and physical features. However, if you dig deeper they are perfect for their respective roles.

Many a time, when we look for people to fill in roles, we gravitate towards obvious qualities. No one can deny the legend of Michael Jordan. But Jordan didn’t make it to the Varsity team in his Sophomore year! The reason - because he was not tall enough compared to the other guy. Someone on the selection committee had a bias towards taller players. But this happens in business scenarios as well. One gravitates towards physical qualities and traits that may not actually predict the actual performance. Unless we are aware of these biases, acknowledge them and check them, we could miss out on the right candidate. On the contrary, there is a good chance that if the person looks too much the part he/she is playing, they could end up not being challenged enough to hone the skills needed to succeed in the long run.

6. If you decide to compromise with your offering to cater to everyone, you will end up catering to no one:

The finale was not very well liked by GoT fans. The writers seemed to have tried to mix shock effects with a sense of satisfaction for as many characters (living) as possible. The top two protagonists of the show had been built up to be the main contenders for the throne. They killed one off and sent the other into exile. In the process, they ended up pissing off a high percentage of the fans. The show acknowledges the distaste, disdain or disgust felt by GoT fans in a tongue in cheek statement made by Tyrion,

“No one's very happy, which means it's a good compromise, I suppose.”

When you are creating a product or service for the customer, it is important to decide, what customer segment you would like to delight with it. And be ready to piss off another customer. You cannot have a product that is loved by all. If you try to do that, you will make compromises that will make all segments unhappy in some way. In the car market, there are two distinct segments - one that likes a sports car with heavy acceleration and the other that likes a car with high mileage, it would be foolish to make a car with medium acceleration and medium mileage. It alienates both segments because neither would be happy with the compromise on their core need.

I am quite certain there are more lessons that can be learned from the different character arcs showcased in the show in other seasons and episodes. Feel free to comment with your own or critique/add to any of the above.