How Game of Thrones changed my career
Years ago, in a comfortable groove working at my firm, I was so heads down I took little notice of the world outside my bubble. The problem with the bubble was I was often overlooked for big assignments. Quite by accident I realized I was missing a critical element which changed the course of my career trajectory. The secret ingredient was when I got outside my comfort zone, and connected with people I felt I had nothing in common with. And that all happened by picking up a Game of Thrones book (and all the books and the HBO series, pouring obsessively over blogs, not to mention the podcasts—thank you for your service Joanna Robinson!) simply put: Games of Thrones changed my career. The question of why it changed my career and some lessons you can take with you is the subject of this week’s post.
So you might think this is a blog about the intricacies of the world-building masterpiece that George R.R. Martin has gifted us with, and I certainly would love to obsess about it with you, particularly while I wait for the next book and final season of the show. I can tell you I am totally in the House Stark camp, even if I’d prefer to be a Lannister sometimes. But in fact my lessons are more about observations on living in the moment, and stepping out of my comfort zone.
The reason things changed for me was that in getting excited about this extremely nerdy world, I found others on my team and beyond who shared this obsession. These people were not my usual crew, and even though I would have assumed I had nothing in common with them (I’m sorry to say that football, golf, cars, etc. are just the few topics that I have minimal interest in even though this group seemed all about them), it turned out this one thing opened up a whole world of new connections. And they were totally equally interested in obsessing with me. And in turn they opened their networks, and suddenly new assignments, more exposure, and even bigger roles opened up for me. So with that here’s my 3 pieces of advice on embracing your own “Game of Thrones” obsession which might not be something you would normally think is your thing.
Embrace and learn about something new. The fact of the matter is, the whole fun of taking on this kind of endeavor is to explore and grow. You might say, hey, it’s just a book or show, but how much fun did I have digging into the history it was based on, rereading Tolkien, and listening to experts share their own pop culture theories in podcasts? What other pop culture phenomenons are out there that you can jump into and push out of your comfort zone? I’m a working mom in my 40s, so I love that I have these interests that break stereotypes and open me up to different communities and thinking.
Connections and community. I used to feel like a fish out of water in certain settings. And I kept to my small core circle because it was comfortable. Here’s the thing. Game of Thrones was something many, many people wanted to share stories on. There are endless topics and theories to discuss, and man do people love talking about it!!! I would set up weeklies with people outside my team, swap texts on headlines, and even have lunch discussions where people I just met would join in and have deep dives into rabbit holes of a fan theory. And the people I connected with were totally out of my normal circle. That entry point then opened up discussions about career, projects, and community. I know this sounds pretty basic, but for a woman on a team of mostly guys, it really helped create a common thread for me to build upon.
Non-GOTers think you’re crazy. All of this said, never forget to keep your focus and network open and inclusive, even as you’ve found an equally obsessive group, and it feels amazing to find a bunch of likeminded weirdos who share your fandom status. For anyone who can’t make that commitment or even have interest in going there (and I totally appreciate and understand why), make a conscious effort to connect this newfound circle with others who are otherwise outside of the pack. Help these new friends see other things they have in common with people outside the circle, and try to find other topics and obsessions to bring people in on. The same way I felt left out when people talk about football (seriously, just not my jam) I don’t want non GOTers to feel left out. So make sure you check your obsession.
The Game of Thrones inspired advice I impart to people has nothing to do with zombies, or dragons or ruthlessness as people fight for power. What I often land on is the idea that organizations are very clannish, and you shouldn’t assume you know people’s allegiances because of the “team” they are assigned to. Therefore, be clear on who you are, but build strong empathy muscles so you can connect with people across allegiances. And make sure to step outside of your own nest to seek out others. The more people you connect with and help, the more impact you have on your work and in your career.
That said, feel free to reach out if you want to complain about all the things Martin is doing instead of finishing his saga! Seriously George! You’re killing me here!
