The Captain Kirk Management Style

In an episode of “Star Trek” (maybe you remember it), the senior offices of the Enterprise were contaminated by low-level radiation from a comet, which caused them to age rapidly and prematurely. Fourty-five minutes into the program, Kirk, Spock, Bones and Scotty had aged to the point that they could no longer carry out their duties. They were confined to the sick bay while the crew feverishly sought an antidote.

The situation was pretty bleak, and grew worse. While upper management was thus incapacitated, the Romulans attacked.

Remember the scene on the bridge? Sulu, Uhura and the other remaining officers nervously looking at each other while the force field screens were taking a pounding. Nobody knew quite what to do. Then, just in a nick of time, an antidote–adrenaline–was found in the sick bay, and the senior officers were back in action.

Maybe you remember the feeling of relief as the door to the bridge swished open, and there was Captain Kirk, young again and ready to take charge. I cheered. Within minutes, the Romulans were no longer a problem. No question about it: James T. Kirk knew how to handle a Romulan attack. What a manager! Or was he?

Years later, when I became a business consultant, I remembered this “Star Trek” episode and began to have nagging doubts about Captain Kirk’s management style. Why didn’t other officers know what to do during a Romulan attack? It seems that Enterprise, Inc. had a few problems developing the skills and responsibilities of middle management.

…The episodes of “Star Trek” were usually designed to leave the viewer pondering questions of morality or ethics. In that spirit, I’d like to leave you with a question to think about. What would happen if you were on vacation and Romulans attacked your company?
– excerpt from Dinosaur Brains by Albert J. Bernstein