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?

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!