Tywin Lannister doesn’t often come across very
well in A Storm Of Swords, in fact he comes across as viciously bloody minded
towards being the most powerful man in Westeros. In terms of real genuine
friends, he’s certainly not worth basing your business on, but there’s a few
tips we can learn from.
Tywin Lannister is the
most powerful man in Westeros because he knows the value of strategic
partnerships. Aside from the Lannister army, the Tyrell’s have the strongest
army in Westeros, and brought much needed support when Kings Landing was under
siege from Stannis Baratheon, and saved his control of the capital.
Then he brings Roose
Bolton and Walder Frey into his pack, to take control of the North, a move that
didn’t involve any bloodshed on his part.
It is true in business
that one of the most powerful ways of winning business is through referrals
from your current customers and acquaintances. They do all the hard work for
you, and because they are impartial the person receiving the recommendation
will be much more inclined to believe that, when they hear how great you are,
that is true.
Of course Tywin
Lannister appreciated that it is a two way street, and he had to do something
for the other houses. In the case of the Tyrell’s it was to give them a place
in Kings Landing and a marriage to his grandson, and he gave The Warden of the
North to Roose Bolton.
Like Tywin, you first
need to make sure you are helping the people who you want to pass referrals to
you.
So ask yourself:
1) Who do you who most
want to be referred to you?
2) Who meets the most
amount of those people?
3) What can you help
them to encourage them to help you?
In the next part I aim
to explore the winning strategy of Danaerys Targaryen, what makes her so
irresistible.
Thanks for reading my
Lessons from Game of Thrones, I’m Thomas Szczepanski,
Master Accountant! Check me out on Google+
Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming talk in Wakefield: ‘Growing Strong - how
Game of Thrones can transform your business thinking’