Captain James T. Kirk, CEO

As I mentioned in my last post, the debate continues to rage over which of the five Star Trek captains was the best.  Rather than rehash that discussion, I plan to look at each one and examine how they would measure up at the helm of a corporation rather than a starship.  I'll let you, my readers, decide which captain you would prefer to work for at your company.

First on the list, as he was first to appear on television (though not chronologically first) is Captain James Tiberius Kirk.  As a captain, what is there not to love about a dashing leader who is good with his fists and good with the ladies? Kirk is charismatic, innovative, and a risk-taker. He expects a lot of his crew, but is not a slave driver. One of his most defining characteristics is his refusal to accept defeat,as evidenced by his rigging of the Kobayashi Maru test.

How would those qualities translate into the corporate world?  As the head of a business, Kirk certainly has the drive and ambition to be successful. His innovative thinking could certainly lead him to open new frontiers in his field of business. His unorthodox and often risky way of doing things might propel him to the top of his field or, just as easily, bankrupt him.  However, even if the worst happened, his inability to to admit to defeat would not keep him down for long.  He'd be back at the helm of another company in no time.

What would it be like to work for James T. Kirk? I believe that his charisma would make him a popular boss and engender loyalty among his employees. Unfortunately, that loyalty may not be reciprocated.  Though he is friendly and compassionate toward his underlings, it is unlikely that he will remember your name- unless you are one of the chosen few that make up his inner circle. In addition, his spontaneity might be a bit to take on a daily basis.  His workers might come in one day and find that Kirk has decided to head the company in a completely different direction because a new idea has popped into his mind.

And what about the women?  In today's workplace, a womanizer is a sexual harassment suit waiting to happen. However, it is unlikely that Kirk would suffer from this fate.  If you will notice, in the series, Kirk keeps his escapades off the ship.  With the exception of the forced kiss (Plato's Stepchildren) and some extenuating circumstances (The Enemy Within), there is no hanky-panky with women under his command- despite the obvious attraction between him and Yeoman Rand. He might sleep with his business associates, but never with his employees.

Overall, it would be exciting and exhilarating to work for James T. Kirk, but professionally it could be a gamble. Kirk would always be willing to take risks to reach his goals, but would any of us really want to live like that at work?