Instead of a crew on a ship exploring galaxies, Star Trek: Voyager reintroduced viewers to the original Star Trek ethos. CEO Janeway was key.
“Deep Space 9” had its ship and missions, although the focus was on a space station, rather than the U.S.S. Defiant. Meanwhile, “Star Trek: Voyager” promised to take viewers to places “never before seen.” The U.S.S. Voyager was assigned to find and apprehend a Maquis crew during the premiere. Spoiler Alert: Almost nowhere will you find explicit advice on how to be a better CEO in the face of an ongoing digital revolution.
Stick with me.
Maquis were a group of citizens who ended up in Cardassian (enemy) space after a peace pact redrew borderlines. The people were not willing to go, so they created an organization called the Maquis and launched a violent struggle to reclaim their homes. “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” both have Maquis storylines.
The Voyager crew followed the Maquis raider, a tiny scout ship, to the Bad Lands. Big plasma storm in this region…assume a massive firestorm with flame-wrapped. The Caretaker drew both spacecraft 70,000 lightyears across space while trying to arrest the crew. 70,000 lightyears sound vast, and it is. Voyager plotted a course for Earth in the Alpha Quadrant from the Delta Quadrant at Warp 9. Returning home would take 70 years.
Both teams understood they would need each other to go home before the show’s conclusion. So the Starfleet and Maquis crews merged into one. Enter a competent CEO character.
Analyzing the Kathryn Janeway Character for Business Acumen
Captain Kathryn Janeway would head this new crew.
Actress Kate Mulgrew’s Janeway was a force to be reckoned with. She was bold yet wise. Captain Janeway always balanced opportunity against reality from the first episode. Her objective was to bring this new team home. Any chance to do so had to be carefully considered, but also the expense. If it went against her ethics or Starfleet law, it was out. Her values and the values of the Federation were fundamental to her personality and leadership.
Are your leadership values as intense?
Janeway might be severe, demanding nothing but the best from her crew, but she realized that she had to give them chances for them to be the greatest. Captain Janeway’s leadership was based on one fundamental principle: success for her officers and crew.
Despite being stuck 70,000 lightyears from home, she devised methods to care for her crew. She made Voyager feel like home. She was caring.
Captain Janeway was a woman who didn’t give up her leadership skills or femininity. She was a well-rounded character, both heroine and a role model. Today, Janeway is still a role model mainly because the character has a fresh life in the new kid’s program “Star Trek: Prodigy.”
Can this character educate CEOs about leadership and keeping promises/strategies? Consider the following.
Becoming a Bold CEO
Boldness is frequently misconstrued with pomposity or arrogance when it is neither.
Being courageous requires confidence in one’s abilities. A CEO must be assertive and confident in their abilities to lead a team or an organization.
Boldness saves learning leaders in today’s unpredictable environment. You may feel like your company is a cruise ship in a storm. The turbulent water is tossing the crew and passengers (workers) about. You clutch to that lifesaver for comfort.
Keep your bravery and express it to others. They must see it to believe in your leadership abilities. They don’t have to agree with everything you do, but they must feel “at ease” with you in charge.
Remaining Positive as a CEO
Boldness does not imply affliction. Remember, Janeway, cheers up her crew.
A motivating CEO must, too. We still feel the COVID-19 pandemic’s sting. We are still in the epidemic, but there is hope. But many things remain unknown.
Your staff worry. They may not express it, but they are stressed. And maybe for good reason.
OK, so set achievable objectives as a motivating CEO.
They need not be simple, but they must be reachable. Give them praise. Review lessons and track progress. Delegate in big or distant organizations. Encourage your staff to educate workers. Surrogate them. No matter the size of the business, personalization is vital.
The Caring CEO Demonstrated
It’s easy to be empathetic when you’re helping your staff develop.
Everybody is suffering. The issues aren’t always the same, but they’re related.
Learning may sometimes be a diversion from the reality of the Great Resignation. But it may also be a terrific way to reskill.
The capacity of a corporation to reskill and upskill its staff will determine its future success. It becomes vital to your staff and your firm.
Find innovative methods for workers to learn. Allow them to broaden their horizons. But also consider the employee’s full self.
Employees are not IDs. They are live beings. Educate them to manage.
Maybe it’s financial savvy. Maybe it’s a meditation. If it seems a little out there at first, trust me, the employee will enjoy it.
Modeling a Healthy CEO
Mindfulness. A CEO must be balanced.
You might think you must balance everything a CEO does. Sorry, but it isn’t done. Variables change continually, and the CEO and their staff must adapt.
But always remember: balance is crucial to success. Yes, success requires intellect, leadership, data analysis, content production, curation, etc., but it also requires balance. Otherwise, it’s a shambles. Captain Janeway always commanded with balance.
A Women’s Role, Today and Future
Captain Janeway was the first female role model for some people. Additionally, Janeway may be a reachable goal in today’s world of gender justice and wage parity.
Janeway exemplifies today’s society with women in leadership. As a result, she serves as a True North in the world of science fiction.
Her gender is neither a flaw nor a handicap. “Star Trek: Voyager” designers constructed her with command in mind, and Kate Mulgrew delivered it flawlessly.
Janeway’s femininity was a plus. She was not despised or degraded as a consequence. She was equal. In the business structure, women should be treated equally to men. Any effort to stifle the progress of “future Janeways” in your company is a huge mistake.
