Teaching leadership theory with television: Useful lessons from Game of Thrones

ABSTRACT

There has been a rise in scholarship on using prime-time television as an educational tool for teaching opportunities that link theory to practice in a Master of Public Administration (MPA) classroom. However, one topic that has not been explored but would benefit from using television is leadership. This article explores the use of HBO’s Game of Thrones as a source of teaching content ripe with useful lessons in leadership. Content analysis of the series’ 73 episodes identified 89 leadership scenarios that can be used as examples or case studies in which leadership theories and models can be identified, applied, and generate classroom discussion. Four specific examples on the utility of leadership case studies are presented in this article to highlight a select number of leadership theories and models commonly taught in an MPA leadership curriculum. They include the skills approach to leadership, authentic and transformational leadership, and gender and leadership.

KEYWORDS:

• Popular culture
• leadership theory
• public administration teaching
• television
• Game of Thrones

Notes

1.. For a more comprehensive summary of the characters, please visit https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Game_of_Thrones_Wiki.

2.. For a more comprehensive summary of the episodes, please visit https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Episodes.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Helen H. Yu

Helen H. Yu is an assistant professor and the graduate chair of the Masters in Public Administration program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. Her research and teaching interests include human resource management, diversity management, and leadership and ethics.

Tamara M. Campbell

Tamara M. Campbell is a recent (2019) graduate of the Masters in Public Administration program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa. Her research interests include the promotion of women in the public sector.