Captain Kathryn Janeway: Corporate Magnate?

In the fifth post of a series on how the Star Trek captains would measure up as leaders of the corporate world, we are examining the leadership style of Captain Kathryn Janeway. Under the direction of Janeway, the crew of the starship, Voyager, explored the uncharted Delta Quadrant as they struggled to make it back to their home in the Alpha Quadrant.

Just as Picard is viewed as the patriarch of the Enterprise, Janeway certainly comes across as the matriarch of Voyager. Her leadership style is very reminiscent of what we think of as a good mother.  She is warm and caring and places a lot of trust in her crew. Nevertheless, like any good mother, she has her fingers on the pulse of the ship and always knows what is going on in the lives of each of her crew members. Janeway is friendly and open, but never chummy.  Try to step over that line and she will quickly remind you that she is first, and foremost, the captain.

It is true that, occasionally, Janeway lets her emotions influence her decisions, but that same tendency makes her more compassionate and supportive toward the weaknesses of her crew.  Undoubtedly it is her big heart that inspires such total loyalty as we saw in the episode, "The 37's." Only a captain like Janeway could have helped a Borg re-discover her own humanity.

However, how would Janeway's style of leadership translate in the corporate world?  Is she too "warm and fuzzy" to face down the competition?  It wouldn't seem likely, given her track record.  Despite a skeleton crew and minimal resources, Janeway manages to defeat such powerful opponents as the Borg and Species 8472.  I don't doubt that she would get the upper hand in any attempt at a hostile takeover.

She also seems uniquely adept at reaching her goals.  In Star Trek: Voyager, Janeway's primary goal was to get the ship and crew back to the Alpha Quadrant; a trip that should have taken 75 years. Through a combination of tenacity and networking (yes, those relationships that she developed along the way really paid off), she manages to get the ship home in just seven. I'm sure that same determination and indomitable spirit would be evident in her corporate dealings.

Working for Janeway would be no picnic.  Like all Federation captains, she has a very high standard for her crew and expects 100 % from them every day.  However, she would be a fair and caring boss who would be willing to help you out in a personal crisis instead of handing out a pink slip.  Her goals for you and the company would be clearly outlined and she would work alongside her employees to accomplish them.

However, there might be some conflicts under her leadership. Present-day America has not yet reached the idyllic level of equality found in the Federation. Not everyone might feel comfortable working under a woman- and especially a strong-willed woman like Janeway.  This could very well cause problems within the ranks that weren't there on Voyager. Working for Kathryn Janeway in a primarily male-dominated industry might have more challenges than might be expected.

Next week, we'll look at the fifth, and final, Star Trek series: Enterprise, and take a look at how its captain, Jeffrey Archer, would perform in the corporate world.

The Captains of Star Trek

Like many Americans, my  first introduction to the world of science fiction was through the fantastically popular Star Trek franchise.  Being of a certain age, my "first contact" was with the explorers of the original Trek series.  For those of that generation, it truly was a brave, new world that Roddenberry served up to us.  One that our parents just didn't seem to get.

Since those early days of Captain James T. Kirk, we have had the pleasure of exploring the universe with four other Star Trek captains (yes, I include Benjamin Sisko; even though he "captained" a space station rather than a starship). Recently those five captains met at Comic Con in Philadelphia; together for the first time ever.

The event got me to thinking.  We often debate about the merits of each captain and are quick to express our opinion about who we would want to serve under on a starship. The personalities of each are uniquely their own and each one brings his own distinctive style of leadership to the bridge.  The merits and shortcomings of each captain have been dissected and discussed ad nauseam and I would have little that is new to add to that debate.

However, another question did occur to me.  Given their diverse styles of leadership, exactly how would that translate into the real world of today?  In other words, if each of these captains were placed in management positions in an office, which would make the better boss?

Over the next few weeks, I am going to examine each of the captains in this light; objectively (as much as is possible) looking at the strengths and weaknesses that they would bring to the corporate world. At the end of that time, I'll have a poll available and you (my readers) can decide which captain you would want at the helm of your company.

I hope that you will join me each week as we journey through the psyches of the Star Trek captains. Engage!