FlyBe magazine interviewed us about leadership in the massively successful TV series Game of Thrones a few years ago. It remains the most unexpected media request we’ve had so far. 😁
We were asked to share what leadership lessons we could learn from watching the show (and its leaders) and specifically comment on Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons.
It ended up being an interesting reflection, and it reminded us that we can find inspiration and insights in all situations and settings—even in fantasy series—as long as we look for it.
This is what we shared with FlyBe’s readers.
“Daenerys is passionate about people. When freeing the slaves, she empowers them and shows them that everyone is, on some level, equal. Here, her leadership impact is strong; she believes in people, and that makes them believe in themselves.”
“She is also good at listening to others, particularly her trusted advisors, before making decisions. In doing this, she shows that a good leader doesn’t need to have all the answers and that she values others’ experience and opinions, which boosts them and builds their loyalty.”
“On the negative side, you could argue that she offered freedom, but, in some cases, only if they gave up their freedom to her. This diminishes her positive impact as a leader, as it seems she can only fully get people’s loyalty through threats and ultimatums.”
“Would she have been as powerful without her dragons? Probably not. Her dragons acted as and were used as a very real threat, which enabled Daenerys. She didn’t really allow people freedom; her hunger for power showed that anyone who didn’t support her had to be disposed of. This made her look weak and ultimately sealed her fate.”
Inspiration and insights can be found in all situations and settings; all we need to do is look for them.
Mandy Flint & Elisabet Vinberg Hearn
