Three Valuable Career Lessons Inspired by Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones

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By Lindsey Plewa-Schottland, Associate Director, 

Graduate Career Management Center



Last night I caught up on episode 4 of season 6 of Game of Thrones and I can’t get that last scene out of my head.  It also doesn’t help that every one of my social media feeds is overflowing with comments about the episode and interviews with Emilia Clarke, the actress that plays Daenerys Targaryen.  So with all the reading I’ve been doing about this character, I started to connect some of the things I’ve learned to my everyday work as a Career Coach.  Here are three valuable career lessons inspired by the Mother of Dragons.

She has trusted advisors. 

Tyrion Lannister, Jorah Mormont and Grey Worm, are just a few of the people in her inner circle.  She selects loyal people that she trusts to give her advice when she needs to make tough decisions.  Whether making a career change or negotiating for a higher salary or new title, think of who you want to be in your circle of trusted advisors.  Just as commanding an army and overseeing dragons is a tall order for Daenerys at times, the changes that come with our career can be challenging.  Having another point of view to help you sort through difficult decisions can make a huge difference for your career in the long-run.

 She promotes her brand wherever, whenever. 

“I am Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen. Daenerys Targaryen: The First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khalisee of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons.” (You would think after six seasons I would’ve had this memorized by now, but I had to look it up.)  There are two parts to this lesson.  The first is knowing your personal brand; what are the character traits and skills that you are known for by colleagues?  What is unique about the way you do what you do?  Once you’ve identified these traits and skills, promote them through various channels: your email signature, your social media profiles, on your business card, when being introduced.

She trusts her instincts and doesn’t give up. 

Whether negotiating and ultimately securing 8,000 unsullied soldiers in season 3, or confronting a large group of Dothraki leaders in season 6, Daenerys always exudes a quiet confidence despite some major setbacks along the way. Searching for a job or navigating the next chapter of your career is hard, and sometimes scary as we often don’t know where a path will lead.  The main thing we can do is trust our instincts, follow leads, be open to conversations with new people, attend industry events we find intriguing.  By taking these small steps each day we can eventually end up where we want to be; we just have to start somewhere. 





Lindsey Plewa-Schottland
Associate Director, Graduate Career Management Center

Lindsey Plewa-Schottland has coached thousands of students on how to successfully navigate a job search for over a decade. She is currently the Associate Director of Career Advising at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College where she ensures that MBA and MS students' needs are met through effective coaching sessions and innovative programs.  She holds an MA and two professional certificates, one in Adult Career Planning and one in Leadership Skills, from NYU.

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