The Cutthroat Worlds of Business Development and Game of Thrones - Part 3
As I asserted the last two articles (Article 1, Article 2), roughly two months
after the season finale aired of Game of
Thrones, I still can’t help but see similarities between the cutthroat
environment of the show and the world of business development. The show is
about a web of alliances and conflicts among the various parties involved—all
of whom are seeking to gain control and power.
Within the world of business development, it is much the
same. Various companies are competing against one another for work—each wanting
to gain more and more control and power over their sector(s). Within these
organizations, individuals are similarly fighting for power and control—some
with the company’s interest at heart, and others looking out only for
themselves. And within this world, we develop a web of partners and
competitors—both at the individual and corporate levels.
In the last two articles, I looked at eight popular Game of Thrones characters, drawing
parallels to the types of individuals we might come across in our line of
business: Peter Baelish, Cersei Lanister, Jon Snow, Brienne of Tarth, Samwell
Tarly, Sansa Stark, Jorah Mormont, and Arya Stark. I noted the pros and cons
associated with each personality, and discussed how best to approach these
individuals in the workforce. This week I’ll conduct a similar analysis of four
more favorites:
- Tyrion Lanister
- Yara Greyjoy
- Jaime Lannister
- Daenerys Targaryen.
Next week I’ll conclude this mini-series with a final
analysis of Eddard “Ned” Stark, Margaery Tyrell,
Davos Seaworth, and Ygritte. And as you might recall from some of the related LinkedIn conversations, Margaery Tyrell is the character with whom I relate most!
Tyrion Lannister
Game of Thrones Character Analysis. Tyrion Lannister is
characterized by his brilliant wit and humor. He leverages his intelligence and
family lineage to overcome the many prejudices that he faces. But this constant
struggle drives him to be a bit bitter, cunning, and cynical. Despite these
somewhat negative traits, he is well read and has a knack for for business and
political maneuvering. He is also sympathetic of other outcasts and those who
are mistreated.
Myers-Briggs Personality Type. According to Men’s Health, Tyrion’s Myers-Briggs
personality type is ENTP, and he
would fall into the category of the Innovative
Leader. Individuals with ENTP preferences solve problems creatively and are
often innovative in their way of thinking, seeing connections and patterns
within a system. They enjoy formulating strategy.
These individuals prefer to work in a fast-growing,
high-energy environment that supports autonomy and the freedom to think
differently and innovatively. They enjoy developing technical solutions to
problems and have a verbal fluency that enables them to sell new ideas and
opportunities to others. Careers within a wide variety of fields will appeal to
them, including those in the creative professions, politics, business
management, finance, and engineering.
BD Personality: The Clever Solution Architect. With his love
for strategy and innovative mindset, Tyrion makes the ideal solution architect.
Extremely smart, he enjoys working in the high-energy environment of proposals,
and thrives on pitching his solutions to the team. His witty personality brings
a sense of levity to the team. He will look out for the little guy and stick up
for those he feels are being mistreated or wronged. His love of alcohol could
impede his productivity at times. But even though he may occasionally show up a bit
hung-over to your stand-up meetings, he is easy to work with and a
critical member of the team.
Yara Greyjoy
Game of Thrones Character Analysis. Yara Greyjoy is
characterized by her strength, ferocity, and commanding leadership. She
breaks social barriers and earns the respect of her command. Because of her
sharpness, she can come across as aggressive towards people she doesn't favor,
especially anyone who tries to put her in her place. She tends to be somewhat
judgmental, but she has a big heart, and she is extremely loyal.
Myers-Briggs Personality Type. According to Men’s Health, Yara’s Myers-Briggs
personality type is ESTJ, and like
Cersei, she falls into the category of the Decisive
Leader. You may recall from Cersei’s analysis that individuals with ESTJ
preferences drive themselves to reach their goal by effectively organizing
people and resources. They tend to have an extensive network of contacts and
are willing to make tough decisions when necessary. They value order and
structure.
These individuals enjoy setting clear goals and deadlines.
They work best in a stable environment with clearly defined roles and
responsibilities, and they are driven to complete projects quickly. Individuals
with ESTJ preferences are drawn to positions that focus on accuracy, the
bottom-line, and the efficient management of people, details, systems, and
organizations. They track what works and doesn’t work and make sure that past
mistakes aren’t repeated.
BD Personality: The Gritty Proposal Manager. With her strengths
lying in organizing people and resources to achieve a defined end-goal, Yara
would be an extremely effective Proposal Manager. She would ensure clearly
defined roles and responsibilities to manage her team efficiently in submitting
winning proposals. She would drive her teams to assess lessons learned after
each submission so that each proposal effort runs more effectively than the
last. Yara may have a tough exterior, but she is an effective leader and great
to have managing the proposal. She will work with her teams to overcome barriers
and challenges, but she expects hard work and loyalty in return. If you deliver
effective support, you should have no problems collaborating with this gritty
proposal manager.
Jaime Lannister
Game of Thrones Character Analysis. Jaime Lannister is characterized
by his initial appearance of unscrupulousness and immorality. However, we later
learn that he is much more complex, honorable, and sympathetic that we could
have initially imagined. Throughout the show, he encounters situations that
compromise, conflict, and essentially humble him—and although he is still
essentially a jerk at heart, he ends up being a jerk who tries to do the
right thing.
Myers-Briggs Personality Type. According to Men’s Health, Jaime’s Myers-Briggs
personality type is ESTP, and he
would fall into the category of the Fearless
Leader. Individuals with ESTP preferences motivate others by bringing
energy into each situation. They apply common sense and experience to problems,
quickly analyzing what is wrong and then fixing it. These individuals enjoy
taking risks, managing crises, and putting out fires. They work best when
surrounded by active, task-oriented people in an environment that is immediate,
fast-paced, and focused on the project.
Individuals with ESTP preferences are often hyper-aware of
their immediate environment and will usually choose to act on the most logical
and efficient option in the present moment. Together with their desire to be
accurate, precise, data driven, and efficient, as well as getting to the point,
these individuals can scan the environment quickly and jump into immediate action.
They are talented multitaskers, with the ability to move seamlessly from one
task to the next, doing what seems most expedient and efficient.
BD Personality: The Devilish Head of Business Development. He
is the leader we love to hate. He motivates and energizes his team, providing
decisive solutions to resolve problems quickly when necessary. He seamlessly
juggles the necessary tasks, fires, and relationships necessary to drive the
business development organization. Sometimes he may seem a bit devious, but
then he shows a more human side that makes us want to like him. Even though we
don’t always agree with his decisions, deep down we know he is trying to do the
right thing for everyone. Stay focused on delivering the win, and you should
have not problems working with the devilish head of business development.
Daenerys Targaryen
Game of Thrones Character Analysis. Daenerys Targaryen,
nicknamed Mother of Dragons, is characterized by her strength, confidence, and
courage. Despite her strong moral compass, she is capable of dealing ruthlessly
with her enemies. She is a powerful and relentless leader who is adored by her people. She is often described as honorable and
compassionate, if somewhat naive, although she can be harsh and vengeful
against those who seek to harm her or her followers.
Myers-Briggs Personality Type. According to Men’s Health, Daenerys’s Myers-Briggs
personality type is INFJ, and
like Jon Snow, she is what they label a Perceptive
Leader. Individuals with INFJ preferences are compassionate and inspiring;
they enjoy helping others grow and develop. They are imaginative and visionary
and tend to be sensitive and reserved.
Individuals with INFJ preferences often enjoy working for
organizations with a humanitarian mission and a reputation for integrity. They
like designing innovative programs or services and creating new approaches.
They prefer to work in a welcoming environment where they can collaborate with
others as well as work independently. They prefer to organize their own time,
which allows them the freedom to fully develop and organize their ideas.
BD Personality: The Lead Writer. Daenerys is the embodiment of
your ideal Lead Writer. An introverted at heart, Daenerys will appreciate being
able to write independently, but she’ll also enjoy collaborating with her
fellow writers to assemble a coherent response. She’ll help the writing team
grow and improve their writing, and work to develop innovative solutions to
provide better writing support to the organization. Daenerys will lead the
writing team by example, and she will inspire everyone to be better. She is
loyal to her team, but her downfall is that she is not quick to compromise. If
she disagrees with the direction of the Proposal Manager or another writer, she
will not stop at simply voicing her opinion and moving on. She may also
struggle in succeeding authority and final say to the Proposal Manager, making
her somewhat difficult to work with at times. Daenerys will provide solid
leadership to the writing team, but expect some tension and times of conflict
between her and other members of the team.
Final Thoughts
I know I am late to the game
with posting this analysis, but I hope you are enjoying this fun little
article series, regardless. I am curious: have you been surprised by the Business
Development roles I have assigned to any of these characters? Do you recognize
any of them in your own companies or experiences? I’d love to hear from you!
Cheers!
Written by Ashley Kayes, CP APMP
Senior Proposal Consultant, AOC Key Solutions, Inc. (KSI)
LinkedIn
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