Just finished watching the new Star Trek movie. Ten out of Ten. Great film that exceeded my expectations. Now I am not a crazed Star Trek fan. I couldn’t tell you who Kirk met on the planet Fffarrr in episode 23 but I have been around since it started or thereabouts.

It’s a lesson in many things. It’s a study of personality, which I will be going into in more detail in future posts but it is also a lesson in management. I am fortunate to be working with a small but dedicated team at PeopleMaps and I have to say I am inspired. And the similarities between what goes on on the USS Enterprise and the USS PeopleMaps are there.

We are a small team, sometimes fighting impossible odds. We clash against each other on occasion. We overcome our pettiness to rise to the bigger challenge. There’s a lot of love, there’s a lot of pressure. There are very diverse personality types and yet somehow against all logic, we pull through and live to fight another day.

I obviously identify with Kirk, partly because we have the same job role and partly because like him, I am not a specialist and therefore depend entirely upon my friends and colleagues who are. I don’t have Kirk’s charm or zest for thrills but I am happy to let him inspire me.  I like that he didn’t believe in a “no-win” situation and that anything could be achieved, regardless of what the facts tell you; regardless of what’s logical.  I liked his healthy disregard for rules and authority too. Is this not something all young companies need.

So I urge you to go see Star Trek and be inspired. Regardless of who you are you will find a character to identify with. See if you can make your working life as exciting and fulfilling as that on board the USS Enterprise.

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