Management and the Empire
30/07/2011
Poor management abounds, and plagues all organizations. However, it is the leadership skills that can take it back from the brink of extinction.
Classic example: Star Wars. We see from Episodes 1 to 3 that the Jedi, though noble and powerful then, are plagued with self righteous hubris. What happens? Their vision is clouded, they let the Sith in right under their noses. The thing that is going for them is their integrity and their focus on the greater good. They also have a very well established training plan and succession paths are clearly laid out.
In fact, their management trainee program is so good that they spot you, not the other way around. And requirements are so stringent that someone literally had to die to get Anakin enrolled in it; rightly so, cos that dude is a self absorbed whiner. Qui Gon, while well-intentioned, was only focused on Anakin’s “potential”. He ignored the other warning signs like Anakin’s insecurities and incessant whining. Perhaps he thought himself a good mentor, however, he did not take into account his own time with the Jedis might be short-lived and ended up saddling Obi-wan with the baby, so to speak.
We all know how it went down from there. The key takeaway is that it only takes one little cog in the wheel to bring down the Jedi. So while innate skills might be very attractive, personal motivation and attitude is more important. Hiring has to be stringent: never compromise.
