Season 4 of Game of Thrones premiered last night and it got me thinking about the cutthroat archetypes that invade businesses the world over. People are out for themselves and aren’t afraid to take others down to get ahead. It’s an unfortunate but accurate fact of life. Others are more charitable, however, and are constantly looking for ways to reach out, connect, and and contribute. And while I’m caught up in the drama between the Lannisters and Starks (and Freys and Targaryens and…) I wanted to take a moment today to talk about how some of the show’s popular characters translate to the types of bloggers I’ve seen popping up in my Twitter feed.
Daenerys Targaryen
Yes, the Mother of Dragons herself. While she is positively badass standing in front of flames there, she’s also got a lot of savvy that translates well to business-minded folk. She’s assembled an army that continues to grow in number as she moves across Westeros. How? Because she’s perceptive. She understands people and their motives. And she knows how to use this knowledge as leverage. Oh, and she has some dragons, too. Bloggers that fall in Daenerys’ footsteps are determined, yes, but they’re also strategic. These people have editorial calendars set up months in advance. They are on top of all the latest trends. And most importantly, they understand what their readers want and deliver.
Sansa Stark
There’s a lot of fan hate behind Sansa because she’s a teenage girl. And while her actions may come across as selfish in the earlier seasons (well, she is a teen, you guys), she’s shown herself to be the quiet resolved type. She plays the game and plays it well. You can spot a Sansa in the blogosphere by their nose to the grindstone attitude. They don’t mess about with anything cute or clever. These types are serious by nature and follow all the rules laid out by experts. While it can be hard for these bloggers to differentiate themselves from the pack, their competency makes them stand out. Don’t take competency as a slight! Being constantly good at what you do–even if you’re not breaking new ground–is worth noting.
Tyrion Lannister
How can you not love this guy? Or hate this guy? Or maybe a little of both? He’s cutthroat and out for himself just like everyone else in Westeros but there’s a commonsense and compassionate streak that makes him a real fan favorite. Plus, he smacked Joffrey in the face and it was awesome. But how does this translate into a blogging personality type? Simple: The Tyrion Lannisters of the blogging world aren’t afraid to march to their own beat within the system. These types aren’t breaking new ground, either but they are risk takers. You won’t find these bloggers doing the same thing day in and day out. They’re willing to change it up and try something new once in a while. A good example would be an affiliate blogger who decides to offer up a self-published ebook one day. It’s something that’s been done before but it’s a step outside his or her typical comfort zone.
Arya Stark
She’s quite possibly my favorite character on the show for a number of reasons but I think I appreciate her determination the most. This girl is hellbent on revenge. And rightfully so. She saw her father beheaded, after all. But how does her on-the-run, ready to strike down the Lannisters the first chance she gets attitude translate to blogging? These bloggers have a real fire in their bellies. They want to succeed and will do anything to achieve it. They have something to prove. Perhaps a previously failed venture? Even a friend or family member who didn’t believe in their blogging dreams could be enough of a catalyst.
Joffrey Baratheon
Thank the olds gods and new that I haven’t run across a blogging style that’s akin to Joffrey Baratheon yet. I don’t think I’d want to cross a blogger of that sort. He might take comment a little too seriously then…well..who knows what he’d do? What’s your Game of Thrones blogging style? Did I miss a character you love? Should I do a Part 2? Sound off in the comments! Images via HBO/YouTube