乔治·RR·马丁的奇幻巨著《冰与火之歌》里写道，当“权力的游戏”上演时，不成功便成仁，没有中间地带。幸运的是，现实生活中的争斗风险没有这么残酷。

但在新作《要么赢要么死：〈权力的游戏〉揭示的领导秘密》（Win or Die: Leadership Secrets From Game of Thrones）（Thomas Dunne Books出版）中，哥伦比亚商学院的教授布鲁斯·克莱恩指出，通过《冰与火之歌》虚构的维斯特洛大陆上各色人物勾心斗角，我们的确可以从中吸取到一些可应用到现实生活的教训。无论是书迷，还是HBO改编的电视剧《权力的游戏》粉丝，阅读克莱恩从战略角度分析书中角色个人发展和动机都会觉得很有趣。克莱恩的处理方式和原著作者马丁的很像。他并没有把角色们看得高高在上，从一开始，他就给了一条简单明了的建议：“不要做奈德·史塔克。”（注：《冰与火之歌》中的北境领主）克莱恩认为，史塔克过于看重个人价值观。“领导者理应充分了解（他们的）价值观面临哪些挑战和机遇。”克莱恩写道。

It is said in George R.R. Martin’s fantasy saga, A Song of Ice and Fire, that when you play the Game of Thrones, you win or die—there is no middle ground. In real life, mercifully, the stakes aren’t so brutally high.

Yet as Columbia Business School professor Bruce Craven describes in Win or Die: Leadership Secrets From Game of Thrones (Thomas Dunne Books), there are real-world lessons to be gleaned from the political machinations of fictional Westeros. Fans of the multi-book series or HBO’s adaptation will enjoy Craven’s analyses of characters’ personal development and motivations in strategy. Much like Martin’s treatment, Craven doesn’t put the heroes on pedestals—starting with the blunt advice: “Dont be Ned Stark,” who placed so much weight on his own values, believing them to be objective, that it cost him his head. “Leaders have an obligation to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by [their] values, Craven writes.

如果有志爬上高管位置，想努力磨练人际相处技巧，拜读克莱恩的新书可能获益更多，因为书中分步骤解析了管理层在自我宣传、社会意识和人际关系方面的操作。《冰与火之歌》的女主人公之一瑟曦·兰尼斯特曾说，在权力的游戏中，要么赢要么死，没有中间地带。但克莱恩认为，如果领导者有适应能力，抱有信心支持同事，至少还有中间路线可循。（财富中文网）

本文原载于2019年3月刊的《财富》杂志。

译者：Pessy

审校：夏林

Would-be senior managers looking to hone their people skills might glean more as Craven breaks down step-by-step exercises in self-advocacy, social awareness, and relationship management. And, despite what Cersei Lannister says, there is still a middle ground—at least, according to Craven, when you lead with adaptability and support colleagues with confidence.

This article originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of Fortune.