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posted by n1 on Tuesday April 08 2014, @08:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the life-is-just-like-tv dept.

Sunday's return of Season 4 of Game of Thrones reminds us that you may have encountered a Stannis Baratheon or Daenerys Targaryen in the workplace as psychologist Elizabeth Neal and executive coach Iain Crossing provide an analysis of the management styles of the Westeros power-grabbers and what they should do to become more effective leaders.

For example, Stannis Baratheon is a blustering leader with powerful allies the kind of person that could be found in junior management or senior operational roles in a family-run or semi-government business with no dedicated HR resources and weak governance. "Stannis has a strong work ethic and is likely to be respected by his subordinates however his need and greed for power allows him to be influenced contrary to his principles," says Crossing. "There certainly are qualities that are promising but there would need to be professional development." Joffrey Baratheon is emotionally unstable, antisocial, immature, unreliable, reckless and irresponsible says Neal, and displays a pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others while his narcissism indicates that he is too insecure to change. When facing a Joffrey in the workplace, your best bet is to lodge "complaints with HR and try get him moved on," says Crossing.

Finally there is the one character in Game of Thrones at the top of her game who would make it as a corporate executive just as she is Daenerys Targaryen. The 'mother of dragons' is collaborative and resourceful, a fast learner and highly adaptable to change. According to Neal, Targaryen leads with compassion and "an appropriate amount of maternal instinct while remaining unswayed by emotion." Daenerys is also a risk-taker who has strong beliefs about right and wrong and takes it upon herself to champion her ideals of social justice. "I can't fault her leadership style," says Neal. "That's the kind of leader I would respond to well, personally."

[Editors Note: Author has informed us this writeup has been cross submitted.]

 
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  • (Score: 2) by ikanreed on Tuesday April 08 2014, @08:35PM

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday April 08 2014, @08:35PM (#28442) Journal

    Kill the ones everyone likes first. That'll keep them scared, and do forget the occasional mass slaughter.

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  • (Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Tuesday April 08 2014, @09:20PM

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Tuesday April 08 2014, @09:20PM (#28465) Homepage

    Incestuous behavior is why some people get promoted and stay in power.

    • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday April 08 2014, @10:46PM

      by bob_super (1357) on Tuesday April 08 2014, @10:46PM (#28502)

      After a few seasons of fun intrigue and backstabbing between cube-dwellers, obsolete everybody's fascinating skills and intelligence by bringing in Monsters (call them Bob and Bob), Dragons (upper-management raining death from out of reach) and dark magic (M&A?)