The media has a long history of depicting leaders, some of whom are shown to be productive, while others are shown to have flaws that ultimately lead to their own collapse. I have seen a few of these shows, and the leaders all share some common traits that speak to a good moral compass and drive the narrative forward. “Game of Thrones” is a popular program because it is engaging and entertaining. Having seen every season and episode, I have interacted with various leaders who made progress or brought about their own collapse.
As leadership is central to “Game of Thrones,” it is instructive to recall how various characters attained and maintained their positions of authority. As the leader of the North, Jon Snow is revered and admired for his many admirable traits. His strong sense of empathy, honesty, community, and bravery guided him toward the good. He was raised as Ned Stark’s bastard son. He had no desire to be in a position of authority, yet he led with complete transparency in a society where everyone else had hidden motives. His greatest strength was uniting disparate groups against a common enemy. He accomplished just that when he rallied the wildlings, the Northmen, and the house Targaryen to fight the white walkers. Even though he disliked engaging in combat, he was dedicated to serving his people, and his selfless attitude made him an inspiring leader.
Effective Techniques
Jon Snow’s first noticeable leadership trait was his keenness to give subordinates responsibility and independence. For instance, he recognized his friend Samwell Tarly’s admirable traits. He was outmatched physically and mentally, but he supported him and led him down a successful course that benefited the whole night watch. His need to make connections led to him becoming friends with wildlings and even the Night watch, although he had never associated with them before (Yu & Campbell, 2021). It demonstrates why so many of Jon Snow’s supporters were willing to give their lives for him in combat. Upon introducing him to Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister spoke highly of the young man, remarking that he was trustworthy and loved by many.
A second trait was his exemplary moral character and his dedication to assisting others in realizing their dreams. The sixth season seven episode saw him being asked to provide a white walker. Rather than remain behind, he joined the effort to apprehend the white walker. For the people, this was proof that he cared about their safety and was willing to risk his life to improve their world. The northerners partly embraced him as their leader because of his promise to rally the living to combat the dead (Biehl & Biehl, 2021). The great conflict could have been won, and the next generation spared had the wildlings, and the north men worked together.
Thirdly, Jon Snow’s ability to lead from the heart without passing judgment on others was crucial to his success. He looked beyond superficial characteristics and preconceived notions about individuals to see their inherent goodness. Jon Snow executed Slynt in episode three of season five for disobeying him repeatedly. Initially, Jon Snow was inclined to show charity toward the man, but following Slynt’s assessment that he was weak, Snow’s feelings changed (Moore, 2022). In certain situations, John Snow would mete out harsh penalties or demonstrate kindness.
Ineffective Techniques
Jon Snow has several areas for improvement as a leader. A swordsman who arrived at the Wall in Season 1 was assigned to the role of steward. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont tried to teach him, but he only continued complaining (Yu & Campbell, 2021). Insightful Sam Tully suggests that the lord commander may be preparing him for a leadership role. Rather than feeling left out, leaders should take the initiative and expand their responsibilities.
Moreover, he did not demonstrate appropriate supervision skills when stabbed into the wall. He was chosen as the next lord commander but was killed because he failed to comprehend the chasm that had opened up between himself and his followers. Jon Snow was only sometimes a strong leader, as seen by the fact that he could not maintain peace. When tensions rise, it is the leader’s responsibility to find solutions allowing everyone to live peacefully.
In episode 9 of season 6, Jon Snow went to battle against Sansa Stark’s advice. He ignores Sansa, who has extensive knowledge of Ramsay Bolton. Despite her best efforts and his own, he rejects her counsel and assistance (Biehl & Biehl, 2021). Instead of waiting until they round up additional supporters, he utilizes his emotional reserves to help his adoptive sibling. As a result, emotions should not play a role in a leader’s decision-making process.
One Scene and What I would have done differently as a Supervisor
On the ninth episode of Season 6, I would have handled it otherwise if I were Jon Snow. To easily defeat Ramsay Bolton, I would have waited as Sansa suggested and gathered more men. Although I appreciate the desire to protect our loved ones at any cost, I do not see the point in continuing the struggle if it results in deaths. Rickon should have seen through Ramsay’s ploy and waited for an advantageous moment to strike, like when the odds were on their side. Jon Snow was a major disappointment in this episode without listening to Sansa and instead going out to die on the field.
High-stress Environment and Less Stressful Environment
Individuals cannot give their all while working in a highly stressful setting. It affects efficiency, morale, and the capacity to achieve business objectives. Workers are more likely to have mistakes, mental health concerns, low productivity, fatigue, and workplace disputes. It is essential for individuals to feel at ease in the workplace to do their jobs to the best of their abilities (Syed et al., 2021). Workers are more productive when they are able to put their bad mental states outside of the workplace.
Supervisory Trait I Relate to
While I relate to many aspects of effective leadership, I place a premium on empathizing with subordinates. Leaders are in a position to ensure everyone gets what they deserve, and they may do so by showing kindness and compassion for their followers. Supervisors need to be empathetic enough to realize that workers need time off when dealing with personal issues that prevent them from doing their duties well (Jonsdottir & Kristinsson, 2020). My supervisor once let me take the day off when dealing with some family issues that were affecting my performance at work. He was sympathetic to my situation and understood that I had to deal with things outside of the workplace before I could return. They were empathetic and kind, able to imagine themselves in my position.
Textbook Technique
The knowledge and abilities we have developed in this course will serve us well in our future supervisory positions. Unfortunately, not every circumstance is the same, and various elements will have varying impacts. Supervisors may need more time to consult with subordinates or collect relevant data before making life-or-death decisions in high-stakes situations like conflict or urgent care (Jonsdottir & Kristinsson, 2020). The appropriate or wrong choice would be made based on prior experience or intuition. Hence, the channel of contact has been severed due to time constraints.
A leader should also provide an excellent example for their employees. My superior should have done so, and I needed help. My supervisor at the moment did not appreciate my efforts to network with other professionals in my sector. I wanted to make myself known and have the workers recognize my name so that if a subcontractor ran into an issue, the craft might assist and eliminate the situation without returning to a supervisor. A problem emerged when my supervisor interacted with the subcontractor’s employees, and a week later, the subcontractor approached me about it. That gave the impression that my supervisor was micromanaging the staff. When I inquired about it, he said it was part of his strategy for fostering strong team connections. Not only was this leader building connections with employees in a way that made other employees uncomfortable, but he also made it clear that he could do so while I could not emulate him.
Conclusion
From its debut on HBO in 2011, “Game of Thrones” has captivated audiences worldwide. The show features a long roster of leaders who may not have taken the throne but still significantly impacted its development. The North’s commander, Jon Snow, is recognized for his wisdom, courage, and other qualities. A natural-born leader, he would be a great leader in today’s society because of his willingness to put others before himself. Further, high-stress levels negatively impact productivity, morale, and the ability to reach organizational goals. In an urgent medical emergency, supervisors may only sometimes have time to speak with their subordinates or acquire all necessary evidence before making choices that might have catastrophic consequences.
References
Biehl, B., & Biehl, B. (2021). Introduction: Popular Culture and Leadership. Leadership in Game of Thrones, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-34117-6_1
Jonsdottir, I. J., & Kristinsson, K. (2020). Supervisors’ active-empathetic listening as an important antecedent of work engagement. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 7976. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217976
Moore, F. (2022). Mother of Dragons: leadership, promotion and succession planning. In Management Lessons from Game of Thrones (pp. 42-62). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839105272.00008
Syed, F., Naseer, S., & Bouckenooghe, D. (2021). Unfairness in stressful job environments: the contingent effects of perceived organizational injustice on the relationships between job stress and employee behaviors. The Journal of general psychology, 148(2), 168-191. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221309.2020.1747968
Yu, H. H., & Campbell, T. M. (2021). Teaching leadership theory with television: Useful lessons from Game of Thrones. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 27(2), 141-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/15236803.2020.1746137
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