%20(1)_edited.jpg)
Brienne
CEO
Commanding presence | Reactive | Perceptive | Needs clear direction
Brienne commands a room the moment she walks into it. Beautiful, expressive, and the centre of attention the minute she looks at you. She knows the effect she has, and she is not above using it. What her presence cannot solve, her reactivity often complicates. She can be the creator of the drama she needs to solve, and can use her size and magnetism to redirect attention or steer events in her direction. She is more sensitive than she appears, and she often waits for someone to show her the way before committing.
The question she will ask you: Can you lead someone who has already decided they are in charge?
Pearl
Accounts Payable
Experienced | Sets own pace | High standards | Not easily impressed
Pearl came to us as part of an acquisition and has absolutely no interest in pretending otherwise. She has worked harder than anyone else in this paddock, for longer, and she knows it. A superstar in her day, and she was extraordinary, Pearl has earned the right to set her own pace within the workplace. She is here for the morning tea, and she will let you know when she is done. But here is what Pearl teaches that the others cannot: what does it take to genuinely engage someone who has seen it all?
The question she will ask you: What do you offer a high-performer who is still adding value but quietly running out the clock?
Arya
COO
Highly intelligent | Fixed thinker | Independent | Loyal to Brienne
Arya gets things done on her terms. Intelligent, functional, and deeply independent, she is quietly running most of the operation while Brienne is out front taking the credit. She can be moody, and she does not forgive a half-hearted ask. A fixed thinker who resists being told what to do, her unpredictability is not randomness. It is a standard she is applying. She is also more social than she would ever let on. Arya and Brienne are inseparable: the CEO and COO, bonded and co-dependent in equal measure. With a leader she trusts, Arya is unstoppable.
The question she will ask you: Can you lead someone who is interested in being led only on her terms?
TJ
Internal Mail
The Elder | Wisdom meets experience | Nothing to prove | Calm and measured
TJ was the other half of the acquisition team with Pearl. Unlike her, he figured out quickly that life was better in this company and he found his place as everyone's friend in the team. At 31, he is well beyond his prime but his quiet presence represents a solid, practical type of leadership. He's the first to go, 'OK, let's do this' without fuss, providing mentorship and some 'attitude adjustment' lessons to the younger members of the team. He is the role model everyone needs in their organisation. Given his age, he works part-time, and may or may not be at work on your day.
The question he will ask you: What is your relationship with intangible value?
Archie
Sales Manager
Highly sociable | First to engage | Quiet influence | One eye
Archie sees the world differently, literally. With only one eye, he has adapted in ways that make him one of the most attuned horses in the herd. He is everybody's friend: approachable, warm, and always the first to step forward when something new is proposed. What he lacks in stature he compensates for entirely with presence, the kind that draws people in without demanding anything. He is the team member who influences everything while appearing to lead nothing.
The question he will ask you: What does quiet authority actually look like?
Leo
Chief of Staff
Ambitious | Sensitive beneath surface | Eager to impress | Still finding his place
Leo is stunning, and he knows it. The youngest of the herd, he arrived with ambition in every movement and is still figuring out where he fits. He presents as bold, occasionally overconfident, and keen to establish himself. What he does not advertise, and what working with him reveals, is that beneath the performance, he is softer and more uncertain than he lets on. Leo is the new hire who wants to be taken seriously, possibly before he has fully earned it. He spends a bit too much time at the gym and may or may not be carrying an 'overexertion' injury on your day.
The question he will ask you: Can you manage your response to the good looks and presence to ask the quiet questions that need to be asked to build his competence, not confidence?
Meet your team
Six horses. Six energies. Six personalities. Six histories. Six communication styles.
They're not polished - they come as they choose to be. Mostly, they are the team you've inherited.
It's your choice as to how you engage ... or is it?
So many lessons can be learned from them if we're open to listening.