James T Kirk: Lessons on Leadership

Captain Kirk may have a reputation as a suave ladies man, but don’t let that exterior cool fool you. Kirk’s reputation at the Academy was that of a “walking stack of books,” in the words of his former first officer, Gary Mitchell. And a passion for learning helped him through several missions. Perhaps the best demonstration of this is in the episode “Arena,” where Kirk is forced to fight a Gorn Captain in single combat by advanced beings. Using his own knowledge and materials at hand, Kirk is able to build a rudimentary shotgun, which he uses to defeat the Gorn.

If you think about it, there’s no need for a 23rd Century Starship Captain to know how to mix and prepare gunpowder if the occasion called for it. After all, Starfleet officers fight with phasers and photon torpedoes. To them, gunpowder is obsolete. But the same drive for knowledge that drove Kirk to the stars also caused him to learn that bit of information, and it paid off several years later.

In the same way, no matter what your organization does, it helps to never stop learning. The more knowledge you have, the more creative you can be. The more you’re able to do, the more solutions you have for problems at your disposal. Sure, you might never have to face down a reptilian alien on a desert planet, but you never know what the future holds. Knowledge is your best key to overcoming whatever obstacles are in your way.

2. Have Advisors With Different Worldviews

“One of the advantages of being a captain, Doctor, is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it.”

Kirk’s closest two advisors are Commander Spock, a Vulcan committed to a philosophy of logic, and Dr. Leonard McCoy, a human driven by compassion and scientific curiosity. Both Spock and McCoy are frequently at odds with each other, recommended different courses of action and bringing very different types of arguments to bear in defense of those points of view. Kirk sometimes goes with one, or the other, or sometimes takes their advice as a springboard to developing an entirely different course of action.

However, the very fact that Kirk has advisors who have a different worldview not only from each other, but also from himself, is a clear demonstration of Kirk’s confidence in himself as a leader. Weak leaders surround themselves with yes men who are afraid to argue with them. That fosters an organizational culture that stifles creativity and innovation, and leaves members of the organization afraid to speak up. That can leave the organization unable to solve problems or change course. Historically, this has led to some serious disasters, such as Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Organizations that allow for differences of opinion are better at developing innovation, better at solving problems, and better at avoiding groupthink. We all need a McCoy and a Spock in our lives and organizations.

3. Be Part Of The Away Team

“Risk is our business. That’s what this starship is all about. That’s why we’re aboard her.”

Whenever an interesting or challenging mission came up, Kirk was always willing to put himself in harm’s way by joining the Away Team. With his boots on the ground, he was always able to make quick assessments of the situation, leading to superior results. At least, superior for everyone with a name and not wearing a red shirt. Kirk was very much a hands-on leader, leading the vanguard of his crew as they explored interesting and dangerous situations.

When you’re in a leadership role, it’s sometimes easy to let yourself get away from leading Away Team missions. After all, with leadership comes perks, right? You get the nice office on the higher floor. You finally get an assistant to help you with day to day activities, and your days are filled with meetings and decisions to be made, And many of these things are absolutely necessary. But it’s sometimes easy to trap yourself in the corner office and forget what life is like on the front lines. When you lose that perspective, it’s that much harder to understand what your team is doing, and the best way to get out of the problem. What’s more, when you’re not involved with your team, it’s easy to lose their trust and have them gripe about how they don’t understand what the job is like.

This is a lesson that was actually imprinted on me in one of my first jobs, making pizzas for a franchise that doesn’t exist anymore. Our general manager spent a lot of time in his office, focused on the paperwork and making sure that we could stay afloat on the razor-thin margins we were running. But one thing he made sure to do, every day, was to come out during peak times and help make pizza. He didn’t have to do that, but he did. The fact that he did so made me like him a lot more. It also meant that I trusted his decisions a lot more. In much the same way, I’m sure, as Kirk’s crew trusted his decisions, because he knew the risks of command personally.
Five Leadership Mistakes Of The Galactic Empire Alex Knapp Alex Knapp Forbes Staff
How to Reboot Star Trek for Modern TV Alex Knapp Alex Knapp Forbes Staff

4. Play Poker, Not Chess

“Not chess, Mr. Spock. Poker. Do you know the game?”

In one of my all-time favorite Star Trek episodes, Kirk and his crew face down an unknown vessel from a group calling themselves the “First Federation.” Threats from the vessel escalate until it seems that the destruction of the Enterprise is imminent. Kirk asks Spock for options, who replies that the Enterprise has been playing a game of chess, and now there are no winning moves left. Kirk counters that they shouldn’t play chess – they should play poker. He then bluffs the ship by telling them that the Enterprise has a substance in its hull called “corbomite” which will reflect the energy of any weapon back against an attacker. This begins a series of actions that enables the Enterprise crew to establish peaceful relations with the First Federation.

I love chess as much as the next geek, but chess is often taken too seriously as a metaphor for leadership strategy. For all of its intricacies, chess is a game of defined rules that can be mathematically determined. It’s ultimately a game of boxes and limitations. A far better analogy to strategy is poker, not chess. Life is a game of probabilities, not defined rules. And often understanding your opponents is a much greater advantage than the cards you have in your hand. It was knowledge of his opponent that allowed Kirk to defeat Khan in Star Trek II by exploiting Khan’s two-dimensional thinking. Bluffs, tells, and bets are all a big part of real-life strategy. Playing that strategy with an eye to the psychology of our competitors, not just the rules and circumstances of the game can often lead to better outcomes than following the rigid lines of chess.

5. Blow up the Enterprise

“‘All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.’ You could feel the wind at your back in those days. The sounds of the sea beneath you, and even if you take away the wind and the water it’s still the same. The ship is yours. You can feel her. And the stars are still there, Bones.”

One recurring theme in the original Star Trek series is that Kirk’s first love is the Enterprise. That love kept him from succumbing to the mind-controlling spores in “This Side of Paradise,” and it’s hinted that his love for the ship kept him from forming any real relationships or starting a family. Despite that love, though, there came a point in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, where Captain Kirk made a decision that must have pained him enormously – in order to defeat the Klingons attacking him and save his crew, James Kirk destroyed the Enterprise. The occasion, in the film, was treated with the solemnity of a funeral, which no doubt matched Kirk’s mood. The film ends with the crew returning to Vulcan on a stolen Klingon vessel, rather than the Enterprise. But they returned victorious.

We are often, in our roles as leaders, driven by a passion. It might be a product or service, it might be a way of doing things. But no matter how much that passion burns within us, the reality is that times change. Different products are created. Different ways of doing things are developed. And there will come times in your life when that passion isn’t viable anymore. A time when it no longer makes sense to pursue your passion. When that happens, no matter how painful it is, you need to blow up the Enterprise. That is, change what isn’t working and embark on a new path, even if that means having to live in a Klingon ship for awhile.

Final Takeaway:

In his many years of service to the Federation, James Kirk embodied several leadership lessons that we can use in our own lives. We need to keep exploring and learning. We need to ensure that we encourage creativity and innovation by listening to the advice of people with vastly different opinions. We need to occasionally get down in the trenches with the members of our teams so we understand their needs and earn their trust and loyalty. We need to understand the psychology of our competitors and also learn to radically change course when circumstances dictate. By following these lessons, we can lead our organizations into places where none have gone before.

Credit: (Knapp, A) http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2012/03/05/five-leadership-lessons-from-james-t-kirk/

"Using Technology to Humanize the Classroom"

Determination, and thinking outside of the box

Request to sign 14yr old cancer patient's guestbook

Hi all,
This is a request for you to say hello to a stranger. His name is Brandon, he's 14yrs old, and he has cancer. He's my coworkers son. Here is his 'background story' as told on his website:

"Brandon's journey began with a slight limp on his right side. We thought that maybe it was a sports injury or growing pains. When it didn't go away and he started having pain in the middle of the night, we knew something was wrong. Brandon was diagnosed with chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the right proximal femur in July 09. By August he had gone through a total hip replacement ,metal prosthesis insertion, and hickman insertion. He will undergo 30 weeks of chemo."

If you're reading this and feel moved to give encouragement to this brave, and no doubt scared, young man, please do so. I thought it would be neat if people from around the States, and around the world could say "hey, we're thinking about you, hang in there!!" or something like that.
Hope for tomorrow is strength for today. :)

thanks! :)

Brandon's site:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/brandonrussell/guestbook
(you can just put your first name, nickname, and/or last initial for the anon-minded people :))

"Confidence and hope do more good than physic."
~Galen

A wave is but many drops of water...

Photograpy credit: Clark Little, Oahu, Hawaii

“Too often we underestimate the power of

A touch,

A smile,

A kind word,

A listening ear,

An honest compliment,

Or the smallest act of caring,

All of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

-Leo Buscaglia

Are you on Belay?

Over at James place there was a fun post with some funny comments. However, one of the commenters made a reference to 'not wanting to know how the story ends, which is why he doesn't want to die', but he 'didn't understand why Christians had a problem with dying'. This caused me to wonder about such a comment, and what I felt and thought about the whole thing. I only partly answered him there, assuming his prompt wasn't rhetorical. But that wasn't enough and I had to continue with this thought; so, rather than drone on there with something that not all might be interested in, I thought rather to put it here. The pic is not of me, but it well could have been me, albeit 20 years ago when I was still quite wet behind the ears and naive to the world! :)

So, my answer to D was this: I think the answer in part, is that the Christian is, human, in the sense of having that strong pull to cherish life, to be alive. Without this drive perhaps mankind would have given up, perished a long time ago.

Then I continued here in thought with this: I liken being a Christian to being on a rock climb. Cliche' maybe; but the climb up the rock is like your life, a combination of your willingness to dare, to plan, to maneuver combined with what the rock/life has to offer, the variety of holds, outcroppings there for you to grab, etc. What we are willing to chance makes for the climb; and, the belay rope (Christ) is there to catch us when we fall. Other religions have different beliefs, as well as those who choose no Creator. I respect that; and, am okay with it, so long as it doesn't impose upon my freedoms. I cringe when the Christian religion (or any religion) starts shoving rules down my throat, to be honest. For Chrisitanity, it's not supposed to be about that (but that doesn't help all those burned on the pyre, does it?)

As for the afterlife, I suppose the rockclimb applies as well. There was one particular climb that was a favourite of our climbing group, but it was a bit 'narly'. There was a point in the climb however many feet up, maybe 100-200 feet, where in order to proceed upwards, you had to side step around this massive projecting boulder. This sideways move involved absolute commitment; if you failed, there would be a pendulum type fall, if you were lead climber. The move was easier to do for the guys who were 6ft, as they easily had the reach to almost where the ledge was, merely a small jump, but for lil ole me (I'm only 5'7), the reach was more of a comittment to a careful lunge....all done blindly mind you...the rock you were on, you had to wrap yourself around it (to get around it), and couldn't see to the other side. You just had to trust that the ledge was indeed there, as you've been told. So, to the Christian, our faith tells us the ledge is there...but we still have to leap at it, blindly.

Is human nature ever completely comfortable with the unknown? History, to me, reveals persons who thirst for the truth, who are inquisitive, who want to understand and want a hands on with things. Maybe that's why having faith, especially in something intangible, can be so difficult a concept to grasp. Yet, the creation really does reveal the Creator, one really only need to pause and soften their heart to look.

GI Joe outflanked by Health Nazis?

Yes, I used the word Nazi. Should I have used Nanny? Either way, they’re ridiculous and need to stay out of people’s business when it comes right down to it. This I say with a grain of salt; only a grain now, too much salt is bad for you.

You see, my profession is in the health field; and, I’m finishing up my Uni degree in, of all things, Health Education. However, far from cramming healthy recipes down peoples’ throats or chasing after them with a broom to put out all those cigarettes or knock, from their hands, those dangerous libations, I do plan to use common sense when approaching people about their life choices. After all, it is the person who should come first. The “why” they are practicing unhealthy habits should be explored, not the choice of habit itself, really. Habits are habits, remove one thing, it will be replaced by another unless the ‘why’ of the habit is dealt with. Which is more important, the smoke or the cause of the fire? Stress seems to be high on the list of killers, anyway, so why would I want to add to their stress?? Should I guilt them into health submission? I think not.




Health care costs are staggering; and, one of the ways in which we can reduce costs is to create a more healthy population. Reducing diabetes and cardiovascular problems would be a start. But this article really is not on reducing those problems or really health education of the general population. This post is about health Nazis and their convoluted view on things. What got me riled up was a mere blip I heard on the TV news on how the government, aka health Nazis, is looking into banning the use of cigarettes amongst our military servicemen and women. According to the report compiled courtesy of our government, no doubt at taxpayer's expense, "Over the long term, it(smoking)can cause serious health problems, including lung cancer and cardiovascular disease." Really??? How much did this study cost to tell us what WE ALREADY KNEW?!!!!!! Money that could have been better spent on Veteran's services! #@%!!
Oh, but according to the study, "tobacco use impairs military readiness in the short term." Really?? And, how did they stretch whatever they measured for that hot off the ticker info to suit what they wanted to see in print? Did these scientist "experts" have any previous combat experience? Wait, Sarge, let me light up a ciggie before I light up the incoming insurgents...let's measure how long it all takes.



Oh, the evil ciggie might corrupt the soldiers' health!! Never mind the volley of bullets or the anti-personnel mines, or the religious-indoctrinated-suicide-gonna-get-me-some-virgins bombers (on a side note, what do the female suicide bombers get?). These health Nazis should take a tour of the front lines, and spend a night or twa in a foxhole with the Soldiers and Marines, eat the food they eat, wear the gear they wear, hike the miles they hike, duck their heads for cover when the shooting and bombing starts….and tell me then, they won’t want a cigarette to settle their nerves.
Anyway, shouldn’t the government be concerning itself with spending money not on redundant and pointless studies but with providing better equipment and resources for our people while they are over there? Let the government focus on getting them to quit smoking when they are off the front lines and back home safe. Let the government help our returning veterans in dealing with the effects of combat stress or the physical limitations from injuries. Let the government see that all of our veterans receive the adequate medical care that they deserve. Or perhaps by then, the government has already forgotten about our Veterans and sometimes the intensive care and support that they need when and if they even make it back home? No doubt the government might want to do a study on that.

What is Greatness?

Thinking on those who've gone before me in the tapestry of time, each with their own unique story, I often think, well, what were they thinking? Most likely, given human behaviour, they were thinking some of the same things when you or I meet with adversity, challenge....A mix of 'oh, no, can I get through this?' using perhaps different words, or 'let's conquer this challenge'. But, really, what in your opinion makes a person great?


"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them".
- Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act II, Scene V).

American Dream, references

American Dream, part 2

Only time will tell

The American Dream, Part One

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
-Introduction, Declaration of Independence

Small Acts of Kindness

Very soon a new man with be at the helm of the ship called the great experiment, America. A government formed with the idea of freedom and self-direction. A government of the people; a generous and hardworking people. We'll see what the tide will bring. Will hope be restored? To allow for self rule, a people must be of moral fiber, with conscience, as must be the leaders. Me thinks the image is tarnished, however.

The tapestry of time shows us the highs and the lows that mankind is capable of. We see the intrigue, corruption and cruelty today; just switch on the news. Yet, I know of so many people who are quietly going about doing their best to make a difference for the better, one small step at a time, each in their own unique way. My faith is not in governments, for absolute power corrupts absolutely; but there is a quiet strength in the small kindnesses that we give our fellow man. This is my hope. There are those who do not believe in God, or have quit their religion because of the faults of man, or their own heartache at how a God so powerful could allow such unspeakable atrocities happen to those He is supposed to care for. It is easy to become bitter, grow cold hearted, angry. But what good is this? It only grows the seeds of resentment and distrust; further deepening the wounds that humankind at its worst inflicts.

With each act of kindness, however small, we join the ranks of those who would fight the hatred that is unfortunately present in this world. We can be stronger and better than the evil that would overcome us. The goodness of God is written on our hearts, we only have to take a moment in our busy lives to listen and to act.

(...for a nice Scottish Air "MacDonald of Keppoch", fiddle and harp (youtube didn't want to post))

"Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn!"
-Robert Burns

"Goodness, armed with power, is corrupted; and pure love without power is destroyed."
-Reinhold Niebuhr

"I hope that real love and truth are stronger in the end than any evil or misfortune in the world."
-Charles Dickens

Thankful to be Alive

Hi all. I've had a wee bit of a fender bender this week. Luckily for me, I was driving our work truck due to my car being in the shop, or it's the concensus of everyone that I would not be here on this earth. You could say it was one of those God-things. Leaving work that night, I felt moved to thank God for this truck, and so I did; little did I know what was in store for me.

All's said and done, I've survived a head-on collision that was estimated to be over 110mph combined speed. My medical situation is stable, and I'm about with crutches for my left ankle and right knee, and as my 'bell was rung', my head's still in a bit of a daze. The firemen, deputies, and the people who stopped to help were absolutely wonderful. My husband and kids have been great, and so have been my friends and family who have called and brought meals. I am truly blessed. Praise God.

My hubby, TB posted on this, and the above photo collage is his creation.

So many have said, that God has kept me around for His purpose. I am humbled.

"The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live."

-- Joan Borysenko

Remembering their Sacrifice

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."

(the following poem came via email, author unknown)

I watched the flag pass by one day, It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it, And then he stood at ease..
I looked at him in uniform So young, so tall, so proud, With hair cut square and eyes alert He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him Had fallen through the years. How many died on foreign soil How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down? How many died at sea How many foxholes were soldiers' graves? No, freedom isn't free. I heard the sound of Taps one night, When everything was still, I listened to the bugler play And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times That Taps had meant 'Amen,'
When a flag had draped a coffin. Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of fathers, sons and husbands With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
at the bottom of the sea,
Of unmarked graves in Arlington. No, freedom isn't free.

Enjoy Your Freedom & God Bless Our Troops

Lighting the candle of hope

Well Christmas is upon us once again. I've read many a good post lately at various blogs, some funny, some reflective...all good in their own way! :) A good story of doing the 'what if' may be found here : http://sleepybearhollow.blogspot.com/2007/12/moving-past-what-if.html

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi

"...'it is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35

All gave Some, Some gave All

This post is somewhat belated as I had to work this past weekend. When I was younger, I never thought much about Veterans Day. My grandparents told me of the various wars our family had been involved in, even back to before the American Revolution, believe it or not. As a child, I thought of it as a history lesson, that's all; I didn't understand the personal sacrifice nor the heartache involved. Now that I'm older, it's with quiet and solemn regard that I hold these fallen and surviving heroes of our military. Everyday men and women who served their country proudly. We owe it to them (and their families) to help them in any way we can and to let them know that their sacrifice was not in vain. I had originally thought to make this post more of a rant, as I can get pretty stirred up about this issue, but I'd rather leave readers here with a quiet regard for our duty towards helping our veterans. Whether it's donating clothing or money to the various support charities, volunteering at the veterans' hospital, letters and care packages, or being part of a group to lobby the government for better treatment of our vets, we can all help. (Just think, if the vets had even a small percentage of all the goodies our Politicians get, and it's the Politicians who are responsible for starting these wars, anyway....darn it, there I go again....nope, I'm not going to rant....)

We're all busy with our various pursuits, but we do owe the people in uniform something even in a small way....many drops in a bucket make a pail of water!

As a tribute to their fighting spirit:

"We're surrounded. That simplifies the problem!"

_ Chesty Puller, USMC

"Courage is endurance for one moment more… "

_Unknown Marine Second Lieutenant in Vietnam