Why Jon Snow is the manager most companies need, but don’t deserve right now!

Deepak Singh
Aug 25, 2017 · 3 min read

Disclaimer: This post is okay and full of spoilers.

How does the topic sound to you? Trying to make the most of GoT popularity? Yeah, intends to but it has a deeper cause :)

There are many wonderful characters in Game of Thrones. Self-righteous Ned Stark, defying the odds Tyrion Lannistor, queens like Cersei, Dany and Sansa, know-it-all Brandon Stark etc. The list is long, and full of extra-ordinary characters. So why do you need Jon Snow? You might have already told yourself many reasons. But why don’t you deserve him? Well, here is why:

  1. A man has no name — ‘hunger for credits’: Jon didn’t want to become the head of Night’s watch, or the king in the North. He doesn’t want to rule the seven kingdoms. He is willing to do the right thing. And that’s is why you need him — to fight for the worthy cause. But his lack of hunger for credits/crown means that you have to keep an eye on who’s who and who does what in your company. It takes immense managerial experience to do so, and until you have that you don’t deserve him.
  2. A Dragon is not a slave: Jon didn’t ask for permission to take a charge and bring wildlings. He didn’t ask for support from the lords when he goes to meet Dany. This is precisely the reason he is loved/hated for. He challenges the authority and does the right things without seeking permission. It is upon you to support him, or penalise. But you love being admired, not challenged. And the things we love destroy us every time.
  3. The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword: Jon Snow doesn’t like to punish people, like Dany does. And in case he has to do so, he does the unpleasant part of the work himself. He has learnt it from Ned Stark. He himself goes to talk to Dany which is dangerous. He is the manager who says ‘I made the decision, and not my team’, even if it was someone else’s reluctance that led to the disaster. But when that happens 2–3 times, and you start wondering if this guy is any better than the people who make their teams scapegoat. So you let him go.
  4. For the watch: Jon is deprived of motherly love, he is sent to join night’s watch and killed by brothers of Night’s watch. But he doesn’t complain, focusing on how to do his best. This makes him relatable, and inspires loyalty. But this also keeps him away from petty politics, which kills him/kicks him out of your game. When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.
  5. You know nothing, Jon Snow: He doesn’t any special powers, i.e. an army, dragons, fighting skills etc. But he is courageous and ethical. He will look like a normal manager, with no special skills except that he can think long and hard to figure out real problems. His evaluation of risk is much more accurate than the yes man. But unless you are a good thinker, you can’t tell the difference between him and other managers. So will you simply say ‘You know nothing, Jon Snow’? Oh I bet you will.
  6. And finally, Winter is Coming: Winter will arrive in Westeros sooner or later. A company will always have bad periods. It is in these bad periods we need people who are mission-oriented, rather than the ones working to climb the corporate ladder. So however stable things look for the company, this one guy can identify market shifts that can kill you. But as it happens, you will call his fears unreasonable just like others did. Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.

As you see, there is lot of hard work that needs to be done on your part. So you can get this guy someday, but Not Today!

The reason I wrote this post is because it’s easier to remember things, related to someone we already know. I just hope you will remember Jon Snow while interviewing next time, or evaluating your people.

Enjoy GoT S8 :)

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Deepak Singh

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