7 Reasons Why Khaleesi Would Make an Exceptional CEO
If you don’t know what Game of Thrones is then you’re probably living under a rock somewhere or you pay no attention to what everyone around you is watching on Sunday nights. For you rock-dwellers out there, Game of Thrones is a fantasy show on HBO that depicts the struggles of several royal families looking to rule The Seven Kingdoms by winning the right to sit on the Iron Throne. One of my favorite characters in the show is Khaleesi (aka Daenerys Targaryen). She’s known in the show as the Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, and self-proclaimed Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. She’s strong, beautiful, and carries herself with a sense of regality that draws support from her people. Plus, she’s singularly focused on taking the Iron Throne. Here’s the thing…I think she’d make an exceptional CEO. Let’s be honest, if you’ve been following the show, then you know it takes some serious management and leadership skills to rule a nation of Dothraki horse warriors that do whatever they want or even lead the Unsullied slave army that has absolutely nothing to lose. When it comes to leadership qualities, I think Khaleesi is the full package. Here are 7 reasons why:
1). She’s fearless — One of the most important qualities of any CEO is the ability to make decisions. Decision-making on behalf of your company takes courage and great CEOs have the confidence to stand alone if necessary in their decision making abilities. In the show, Khaleesi is constantly pushing the envelop regarding what it means to be a leader. For example, she freed and entire nation of slaves without even having an army. The bottom line regarding fear is that it’s going to be part of every leader’s professional journey. However, it’s the exceptional CEO who choses to not be paralyzed by that fear.
2). She’s failed multiple times — Failure is part of the recipe when it comes to success. The mark of a true leader is one who learns from their mistakes but fearlessly pushes forward onto the next venture. Khaleesi literally went from ruling a nation to basically being a slave of her own Dothraki people. In true Daenerys Targaryen form, she took her newfound status and leveraged it to become the ruling queen again. Not using failure as an excuse to give up, but instead she used her failure as the avenue for greatness.
3). She speaks the language of the people — Besides literally speaking Dothraki, she knows and understands the language, culture, and vibe of her people. She is a woman of the people. Leaders who invest in their team create a bond and cohesive nature that sets everyone up for success. People want to follow leaders who are more like Tour Guides instead of Travel Agents, they want a leader who’s been there before and is willing to impart that knowledge to the team.
4). She knows her mission — Great CEOs create clarity around their mission and then proceed to communicate that mission throughout their entire organization. It’s this sort of focus and clarity of mission that is the foundation of organizational health. Khaleesi wants the Iron throne. She will stop at nothing until she has accomplished her mission. Everyone that she brings into her inner circle is aware of this goal and is strategically positioned to help her take the throne.
5). She holds her commanders accountable — It’s amazing how much leaders are willing to sacrifice for their company in terms of time and financial investments, but oftentimes they are unwilling to enter into emotionally uncomfortable situations when conflict in the workplace arises. The job of a CEO is to create and build a cohesive leadership team that is accountable to their leader. In one episode, Khaleesi realizes that two of her commanders have been spying on her for a rival king so she takes swift action against them which sets the tone for her entire inner circle. Definitely the makings of a great manager and CEO.
6). She’s Charismatic — A CEO doesn’t necessarily need to be charismatic, but it certainly helps. When we think charismatic CEO, many of us think about people like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Steve Balmer. In the case of Khaleesi, she possesses a certain amount of “swag” that lends itself toward a being a successful leader, especially when you see her rally the Dothraki people to sail across the seas to the seven kingdoms.
7). She thinks outside the box and is a problem solver — There’s a certain amount of creativity that every CEO must obtain when it comes to problem solving skills. Oftentimes, as an entrepreneur or CEO, you’re working within a framework for which there aren’t very many rules or instructions on how to be successful. In these cases, you have to allow yourself to stretch when it comes to troubleshooting at your organization. For Khaleesi, the creative solution to her conquesting obstacles comes in the form of dragons. The dragons for Khaleesi represent what an angel investor or V.C. Firm would classify as her Unfair Advantage. It’s the differentiator that she has against every other ruler in the Game of Thrones series, and it’s what’s going to make her successful (assuming she isn’t killed in the next episode).
These six leadership characteristics are very important and definitely set Khaleesi up as someone who I think would make an exceptional CEO. If I could sum up her leadership in one word it would be Determination. She may not be the most articulate of leaders or the shrewdest of battle strategists, but she is definitely the most determined. In sports, we always say that “you’ve gotta want it more than the other guy”. This sentiment just as applicable in the realm of business. Gifts, talents, and strategy can only take you so far when it comes to running a business. As a leader, if you’re not determined and singularly focused on attaining your professional goals, then you’ll never be an exceptional CEO or worthy to sit on the Iron Throne.
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