Cast the Room: Archetypes, Roles, and Decision Etiquette

Written by Mad Men’s Joan Holloway Harris, who runs the room without raising her voice (or her hem).

Charm can open the door, but etiquette decides whether you get to stay inside. And the gravest etiquette sin in business isn’t forgetting to send a thank-you note. It’s gathering a dozen people for a meeting and leaving them stranded in a fog because no one knows their role in the story.

Business is theater. Every campaign, every quarterly review, every brainstorming session is a stage play. If you don’t assign parts, you’re left with a room full of understudies all talking over one another. Etiquette means making the cast clear, and honoring each person’s place in the narrative.

Think of the classic twelve archetypes. They aren’t just lofty psychological symbols; they’re practical tools for keeping order. Assigning them in a meeting doesn’t make you eccentric. It makes you effective. If someone doesn’t like the word “archetype,” call it a role. They’ll survive. What they won’t survive is the chaos of endless conversations that never arrive at a decision.

Let me scold you gently: when you leave roles unassigned, you’re telling everyone their time isn’t precious. That is the opposite of charm. That is arrogance dressed up as collaboration. The polite thing—the professional thing—is to tell people what character they are playing in this scene, so they can perform accordingly.

Here is how you do it, simply and elegantly:

How to Assign Archetypal Roles (Politely, Together)

1. Before the meeting: Write one sentence that names the decision. Shortlist roles by function (Hero decides, Sage = data, Ruler = scope, etc.).
2. Minute 1: invite, don’t impose. Say: “To keep this efficient, let’s cast roles together.” Offer roles; let people switch if needed.
3. One role per person. Clarity = etiquette. One Hero, one Sage, one Ruler. Others are Audience until called.
4. Give each role a clear job: Hero decides • Sage checks evidence • Ruler guards scope • Creator/Magician offers options • Caregiver notes impact • Rebel names risks • Everyman checks practicality • Explorer notes horizon effects • Lover protects trust • Jester breaks tension • Innocent suggests the simplest viable path.
5. Prompt courteously: “Let’s hear from our Sage.” • “Ruler, scope check?” • “Rebel, one honest risk?” • “Hero, ready to decide?”
6. Close with a recap: Decisions, owners, dates—one page. Polite, final, accountable.

Once the cast is named, etiquette demands you stay in character. Don’t let the Rebel wander into Hero territory, or the Jester hijack the floor. That’s not just messy—it’s disrespectful. People need to know when their moment comes, and when to listen.

Do you know what happens when you honor these archetypes? Decisions land clean. The Sage’s data sharpens the Hero’s choice. The Creator and Explorer generate options, while the Ruler sets boundaries. The Caregiver softens the edges, the Rebel keeps the whole room honest. Everyone leaves knowing their contribution mattered, and more importantly, who is responsible for carrying the story forward.

That is etiquette. Not lace doilies or a dainty handshake, but the discipline of assigning roles and protecting the dignity of the room. Try it once, and you’ll never again mistake chaos for collaboration.