The prequel of Game of Thrones pitched to HBO by Kit Harrington has been shelved. But Jon Snow's life in the world of Westeros is full of leadership lessons that can't be ignored. The next slides have spoilers. You have been warned.
Remember Fire and Blood (S01E10), when Jon leaves Castle Black to avenge Ned Stark's beheading? He returns to the Night's Watch despite anguish for the Lannisters. Honour sent him away from Castle Black. Honour brings him back to his duty as the brother of the Night's Watch.
Let's go to the 'Dragon and the Wolf' episode. Jon could have won Cersei's support in front of all the leaders of Westeros by simply saying he was no longer pledged to Daenerys' cause to win the Iron Throne. But, he did not. He kept his pledge to Daenerys. The Long Night passed. Humans prevailed over the dead.
Our Jon loved Daenerys. Although she was his aunt (father's sister), extended incest is quite a feature of the Game of Thrones. Still, when push came to shove, he made a choice. He killed Daenerys to prevent the destruction of Westeros for the world Dany wanted to make. There came democracy in Westeros after all.
What was Jon without the struggle that came as he became the brother of the Night's Watch? Ned Stark's illegitimate son, or so he thought? As he slowly realised his identity as Aegon Targaryen, came the depth in his leadership. All because he never chose the easy way out.
What was Jon without Samwell Tarly? Without the knowledge of dragonglass, Jon would never have met Dany on Dragonstone. Dead would have prevailed. And well, that would have been the end of Game of Thrones.
If not for Jon's courage (and Sansa's insistence), there would have been no battle of the bastards. They won despite being outnumbered. They followed the template of the Battle of the Bastards in the Long Night. They prevailed.
Jon's character arc had the defining attribute of what maestor Aemon Targaryen said at Castle Black. 'Love is the death of duty, duty is the death of love.' Jon's love, whether for Yigrette or Daenerys, joepardised his duty for Night's Watch and for Winterfell. When he gave up on love, duty won for the good of humankind.