Game of Thrones: 10 leadership lessons from the Lannisters, Starks and Baratheons

Careers experts are using the show for careers advice

Never underestimate yourself (Helen Sloan)

Game of Thrones has attracted record numbers of viewers and a growing international fan base.

The HBO series is popular for its powerful characters and mind games as well as scenes of gratuitous violence. Now some careers experts are going even further and using the show for careers advice.

They say that fearless power plays among leaders can provide lessons in winning (or losing) battles, getting to the top and trusting your instincts:

Mira Zaslove, a start-up and Fortune 500 managery, now working in global e-commerce at Hewlett-Packard , said on Quora that quotes from certain characters can teach us about leadership.

1. "The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword." - Eddard Stark.

(HBO)

Don't shy away from making tough calls. And just as importantly, do the unpleasant work to follow through.

2. "A Lannister always pays his debts." - Tyrion Lannister

Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones (HBO)

In the workplace, the quickest way to lose respect, and power, is to promise things you can't deliver. The surest way to get people to do things for you today, is for them to trust that you will do what you say you will in the future.

3. "Any man who must say, I am the king, is no true king." – Tywin Lannister

True power comes from where people believe it comes from. Not from where you say it comes from. The best leaders are followed based on the collective will, not because they say, “I am the boss.”

4. "Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder." - Littlefinger

Chaotic times reveal a leader’s strength. When times are good, it’s easy to be the leader. Only when chaos reigns, do many leaders rise. Effective leaders aren’t thwarted by challenges.

5. "Winter is coming." – House Stark

Leaders remain vigilant. The world is uncertain. The best leaders always innovate, stay strong, and plan for the future. Being prepared for the unexpected is essential.

For Jeff Haden, owner of Black Media, Game of Thones battles – minus the violence – can be a good metaphor for how to get ahead at work.

In his Linkedin post Four Leadership Lessons From Games of Thrones he wrote: “HBO's Game of Thrones is a simple story of the battle to be the best: the best warrior, the best leader, and the best kingdom.”

For him the four most compelling to remember are:

6. Vigilance is a virtue

Indira Varma with Pedro Pascal in 'Game of Thrones' (HBO)

Games of Thrones fans know that Prince Oberyn’s momentary lapse of concentration lead to the hero losing his fight and ultimately his life against his giant opponent Ser Gregor.

“Brutal, sure, but in business terms there's a simple lesson to be learned: always stay alert and focused on the job at hand,” Haden said.

7. Never underestimate yourself

Jon Snow proved it, you can go from being the black sheep of the Stark family to becoming Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, just by trusting your instincts.

8. Fortune favours the brave

The Dothraki could have been strong enemies but the Lannisters, Starks, and Baratheons weren't afraid of them for one simple reason: the Dothraki were scared of the sea, and this fear made them unable to become more powerful, according to Haden.

“In tech terms, they were the BlackBerry of the series: a big player in its own world but arguably oblivious to the opportunities in the land of touchscreen phones. All the while, its rival, Apple, was setting sail to explore new territories. The result? BlackBerry has reportedly suffered losses while Apple has raked in incredible profits — and for a while, at least, it seemed no city was safe from its dominance, ” Jeff Haden said.

9. Empower your staff and you reap the rewards.

Game of Thrones season six could be a defining one for Daenerys, played by Emilia Clarke (HBO)

In the show Daenery’s choice to free the Unsullied lead her to create the perfect army.

“Likewise, the ability to inspire employees is equally valuable. Think back to your previous jobs. Whom did you work harder for, the boss who made each day miserable or the boss who treated you fairly and made work fun?” Haden said.

10. Don't break a promise

However, the most important lesson linked to one of the key event of the show and underlined by Rod Miller on career and job website www.careerattraction.com, is to keep your word.

Rob Stark’s fate, is arguably, one of the most heart-wrenching turn of events in the show. In case you missed the crucial episode Rob Stark, his wife, his men and his mother are all killed by the vindictive Walder Frey at the infamous Red Wedding. The event followed Rob's decision to break his promise to marry one of Lord Frey’s daughters.

“The lesson for leaders is that your word should be gold, because once it’s tarnished, there’s no going back. In business, many agreements are made verbally, and it’s critical that you establish yourself as someone who can be trusted to follow through on a promise. If you continually go back on your word, you and your family may not be slaughtered by a lecherous old man, but your team will lose faith in you, which is nearly as bad,” Haden said.