You're in my chair

I can't believe this might be my first Star Trek related work blog!!! Anyway, here goes.

I've been watching a lot of Star Trek the Next Generation this year. It's my go to Netflix choice when doing housework or cooking dinner etc. I was thinking recently about the famous two-parter Best of Both Worlds. For those of you who haven't watched it a thousand times, it is the big story about the Borg capturing Capt. Picard and turning him into a Borg drone. It's easy to think of this as a Capt. Picard story, but really it is a fascinating exploration of Commander Riker's position on the Enterprise which is hugely relevant to one's position at work.

Riker is confronted by a younger lieutenant (Shelby) from outside of the Enterprise family who is on a rapid career trajectory and wants Commander Riker's job. What plays out is an interesting dynamic between the two, whereby Riker feels Shelby is undermining his position and unnecessarily risking the ship & crew he cares about, while Shelby thinks Riker is too comfortable in his position and is actually risking the overall mission by being too cautious and not taking the big decisions. Not wishing to spoil the episode(s) but it turns out they're sort of both right and of course work together to win the day.

There's a really interesting scene where Riker articulates the self-doubt Shelby has sown in him, that he actually admires and envies the characteristics she displays and wonders where his "ask forgiveness later" attitude has gone. Has he become too comfortable? Is he regressing? Is he in the way?

This issue is constantly on my mind in my current role. Like Riker, my experience has made me far better in my role and far more valuable to the organisation I work for. I'm definitely more reliable and consistent in my performance and I have a confidence that was certainly missing when I first joined. However, I am far more conservative than when I first started as well, far less open to trying new things and far more protective of GoodGym as a whole. One could argue I'm at least as worried about breaking everything we've achieved so far as I am building on it.

Risk aversion and caution are not attractive traits in my sector!

The more I think on it, the more I can imagine all the eyes out there looking at me and my role, judging me, wondering why I'm not moving on and out the way so they can get their teeth into my job and start taking the risks and making the big decisions it looks like I can't make. There'll be people in other social enterprises, heck even GoodGym members right across the community who'd love a crack at this and question whether I'm really the best person for the job. I know because I've been there!

But like Riker, I don't WANT to do what I do for anyone else!!! I love where I am and care about GoodGym more than I've cared for anything else (apart from my loved ones obviously). Perhaps being aware of not growing too stale is enough at this stage, and I'd like to think I'd be mature enough to step on if I knew I was really holding back the development of the community.

I feel a little disappointed with the resolution of this story arc. While Riker learns to step out of the shadow of Picard and prove his worth and experience, in truth he doesn't step out of the shadow cast by Shelby. In fact one could argue that she only really loses interest in the Enterprise because a far bigger and better job comes up! Riker remains part of the furniture and continues to block new blood from progressing because he's proved himself to be good enough to continue.

Maybe this is really what is on my mind. Slowly and increasingly being good enough not to be dislodged, but not good enough to dazzle and take things to the next level when that is inevitably required. Or maybe that isn't the real issue. Maybe I need my own Shelby, or more to the point a regular stream of them, giving me a bloody nose, keeping me on my toes, forcing me to be better while knowing that they'll go on to bigger and better things anyway. Perhaps it's ok to finds a role where one is happy and content as long as there are ways to ensure that you continue to value and appreciate the privileged position one is in.

Maybe it is ok to "own your chair" if you can help others find their own and you can stay comfy, but not too comfy!

Errr..... any of that make any sense????