This entry marks our first analysis of a fictional character but, as Don Draper is something of a leadership archetype, we think some insights can be gained from it.
**This article may contain spoilers. Be advised.**
Name: Don Draper (played by Jon Hamm)
Occupation: Central character of AMC's Mad Men. Former Creative Director of Sterling Cooper advertising firm; founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce advertising firm
Career Highlights: After switching identities with the lieutenant he served under during the Korean War (who died in a gasoline explosion), Draper sold used cars and wrote ad copy for a fur company, which is where Sterling Cooper bigwig Roger Sterling discovered him. Draper quickly climbed the ladder to Creative Director, and then Junior Partner, because of his talent for reading people, figuring out what they want, and pitching ideas to them. He's also a tremendous excuse to show off period cars and hot girls in vintage lingerie, which are, let's be honest, the real reasons anyone cares about this show. When a rival ad firm buys out Sterling Cooper, Draper gets himself fired and takes a few coworkers with him to start Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.
Draper's character is based, at least in name, on Leo Burnett advertising legend Draper Daniels, who created the Marlboro Man campaign. Don Draper beat out actual people Barack Obama and Michael Phelps to be named Ask Men's most influential man of 2009, which is a travesty until you consider that, on the whole, uptight womanizing men in nice suits have done pretty well for themselves throughout history, so why shouldn't it be the same for one whose character flaws and strengths have been obsessively balanced for a show that is essentially an arm of the media congratulating itself?
Dominant Pattern(s): Organizer/Collaborator. Draper's character is not an impulsive one - he waits and picks his moment and contains his personal drama better than anyone else on Mad Men. He's also a perceptive guy who can capitalize on how well he reads people, suggesting healthy Collaborative instincts that also influence his ability to separate his professional and personal lives for the benefit of his work environment.
Recommendation(s) for Improvement: Visionary - now that Don is starting a new firm, he'll need new strategies and more inventive ads to stand even with more established competition. He was really good at pitching ideas that had been digested by a major company, but will he be as good with less staffers and money? He should start with some Loosening Relief exercises to work on his tension and, at the risk of armchair scriptwriting, dip into some of the more creative subcultural activities of the period, or at least pay closer attention to them. His first season beatnik fling notwithstanding, Draper's very much a mainstream guy and that predictability can only get in his way from here on out. Unless the fourth season starts with an asteroid colliding with the earth and wiping out humanity, in which case all this speculation will be completely worthless.
