WARNING: SPOILERS ALERT
If you have seen, Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 3 ‘The Long Night’ you will understand the stress, unease, tension, uncertainty and triumph that was associated with watching the television spectacle.
If you are an entrepreneur and founder of a business you will also understand the experience of stress, unease, tension, uncertainty and ultimately triumph.
Now, you and I both know that you don’t need to ride a Dragon, Rise from the dead or Kill the leader of an army of zombies to be an entrepreneur but there are some interesting lessons that we can take from ‘The Long Night Episode’ and apply to the entrepreneurial bank of knowledge.
THE DOTHRAKI RIDING FULL FORCE INTO DARKNESS
To begin the battle between the living and the dead Daenerys Targaryen’s army of Dothraki rode into the darkness with their blades alight with fire to take on the enemy.
It was an awesome thing to behold and for a few moments we were filled with pride, hope and amazement at the bravery and the strength of the Dothraki horde. But it was short-lived.
As breathtaking as the first moments of bravery were, the following period of dull quietening were ten times as terrifying. The lights of the brave warriors blades were outed and the war cries fell silent.
But what can we learn?
Venturing into the unknown, no matter your bravery and passion, is rarely a good idea.
When starting a business it is so important to know what you are up against (your competition) and who you are selling to (your customers). Without extensive market research and a good understanding of condition of the market place, your fired could be quite quickly.
The business idea could be amazing but without a full understanding of what challenges lie ahead and how to prepare to overcome them the unknown could engulf the business and leave very little light at the end.
LYANNA MORMOUNT
I think that we were all shocked and amazed by the strength and bravery of Game of Thrones youngest heroine Lyanna Mormount.
She commanded the safety of Winterfell while the battle remained outside the castle grounds and when the dead penetrated the walls, Lyanna stepped up to the mark once more.
While being crushed to death in the hand of a dead giant, Lyanna pierced him in the eye with Dragon glass bringing an end to one of the most valuable assets on the army of the dead
But what can we learn?
It doesn’t matter what size you are you can still make a big difference. When it comes to business, everyone has to start somewhere and the best place to start is small.
Small businesses are not bound by the same rules and regulations as larger ones and so if they want to implement change in business policy, in sustainability, in employment etc. their actions are quick, purposeful and effective which can pose rivallry to bigger businesses.
Also, small businesses can grow to be quite large. So, if you are a small business do not underestimate your power. Little Lyanna took on a defeated a giant, there is no reason why you can’t too.
JON AND DAENERYS FROM A DISTANCE
For most of the episode of ‘The Long Night’ Dany and Jon spent their time flying through the skies on Drogon and Rhaegal.
They watched from afar and only really becoming a nusance when they decided to enter the battle field toward the end of the episode. I suppose, I should give them both credit where credit is due and up until this point they have both contributed hugely to the success of their armies and have fought first hand in many battles.
But, this was not one that we can say they had very much impact on.
What can we learn?
Leaders can’t lead successfully from afar. Managers, Directors, CEO’s have very important roles in a business and lead the staff in one coherent body in order to attain optimal success but if these leaders have distanced themselves from the actual workings and workers of a business the input they have is meaningless. Interaction with staff makes a proactive leader who can lead by example and incite cooperation and loyalty.
Not like watching from a nearby hill while your Dothraki horde get consumed by death.
SER JORAH MORMOUNT
If there was an award for the most loyal servant in the Seven Kingdom’s it would go to Ser Jorah Mormont. Whenever Daenerys found herself in danger Jorah was there – recusing her from the Vas Dothrak, from the Sons of the Harpy and from the assassin from King’s Landing but it was in the Long Night that Jurah finally gave his life for his khaleesi.
But, what can we learn?
Ser Jorah Mormount shows us the importance of surrounding yourself with loyal people who share in your vision of the future. When building a business it is so important that you have people around you who believe in you, support you and share in your goals. There are many challenges that face entreprenerus and it is important that those challenges come externally from the business and not internal conflict. No one expects their business partners to literally give their lives to achieve these goals but sacrifices will need to be made in the name of progression and it is important that your team understands that, that is part and parcel of entrepreneurship.
ARYA (BADASS) STARK
When Arya came flying over the night king’s shoulder and sticks her valyrian steel dagger in his stomach I literally leapt from my seat with excitement. An old dornish prophecy had foretold that ‘the prince that was promised’ would end the Long Night and that he would be a reincarnation of the legendary hero Azor Ahai. Many thought that this prince would be Jon Snow but the triumph of Arya Stark showed us otherwise.
But, what can we learn?
Unfortunately in the business and entrepreneurial world, if you say the word founder/ CEO/ Managing Director it is expected that this person is going to be a man. A lot like in Game of Thrones, there is a false understanding that men are the powerful leaders and women rank second. Well, this is changing and big badass women like Arya Stark , Virginia Rometty (CEO of IBM) , Alexandra Mahon (CEO of Channel 4) and Margarte Whitman (former Ebay CEO) are re-writing that narrative. So stop and think that, that ‘prince’ that was promised might actually be a women.
