The ‘Lost’ World of the Workplace
Castaways We Work With
We can look at the workplace as a sort of melting pot of diverse personalities and peculiar characters, each adding their own twist to the daily grind. It can feel like living on a mysterious island, where you never know what to expect next. Or even something like being a cast member of the TV show ‘Lost’. On this hit show, each character spans the full personality spectrum. Such a mix can also be found in just about every stop we’ve taken throughout our careers, making for some interesting stories and adventures we can share with friends and family, surely to make us a hit at most barbecues and work events we will enjoy throughout our lives.
The Jack Shephard
Every place we go in our career, we meet a Jack Shephard—the quintessential micromanager. Just like the good doctor, they believe they have all the answers and can’t resist meddling in everyone’s business. If you need to take a bathroom break, Jack will question the urgency. Want to grab a cup of coffee? Jack will wonder if it’s the best use of your time. And don’t sweat how they often dictate that nearly every meeting is a life-or-death situation. “We have to stick to the agenda!”, will be an all-too-familiar phrase you’ll hear Jack proclaim, whether true or untrue, as this is the way he sees your work and the world in general.
The Hurley Reyes
The lovable and unfocused Hurley Reyes. In every workplace, you’ll find that one person who’s always behind on their tasks, yet has off-the-charts likability that somehow maintains their status as everyone’s favorite. The Hurley can stroll into the office with an easygoing attitude, strategically carrying snacks, and always willing to lend a hand—when they get around to it. Their cubicle might be a mess, their work may often fall behind, but their charm is undeniable and unmatchable. Now if only they could channel that charm into being productive, what a force the Hurley could be!
The John Locke
Locke’s enigmatic personality on the island is mirrored in the new hire who shows up at the office one day. They exude an air of mystery, rarely revealing their true thoughts or feelings, nodding and smiling during meetings, leaving everyone wondering what they’re truly thinking. Locke is always digging into the office’s secrets, looking to understand, or uncover, what may be going on behind the scenes. He may be a conspiracy theorist, or simply nosey, but he is not easy to figure out, leaving you guessing at what his true intentions and ambitions are.
The Kate Austen
Kate is our office’s skilled fugitive with a knack for getting entangled in everyone’s drama. In the workplace, Kate-the Office Gossip fills that role perfectly. The Kate somehow knows every little detail about everyone’s personal lives, and takes immense pleasure in sharing those stories over the watercooler or during lunch breaks. You are wise to be careful what you share to Kate, and even wiser if you share nothing. Your secret is never safe with her, yet she has a way of distancing herself from the action when the gossip causes the upset and outrage of having their personal thoughts exposed. Like a Teflon Don, don’t expect her to be held accountable for much, as the Kate is way too smart for that.
The Sayid Jarrah
Sayid is our tech-savvy Office Castaway with an impressive range of skills, and finds his equivalent as our IT guy of the office. The Sayid possesses an almost mystical knowledge of computers and software, saving the day whenever there’s a tech emergency. He is the unsung hero who rescues you from computer crashes and email disasters and the occasional embarrassing ‘reply to all’ faux pas. When you need a complex spreadsheet formula deciphered, the Sayid has you covered. Their skills might as well be considered magical, like the show’s Sayid’s ability to build just about anything on the island.
Whether you find yourself stranded on a mysterious island like the castaways of ‘Lost’ or are trying to navigate the treacherous waters of the workplace, one thing is certain: colorful characters are everywhere. It is what makes our workplace, and our society, diverse and interesting. When you have that, as well as some humor and well-intended colleagues who look to help and support, you have found yourself in a hit show of your own. Count yourself lucky and make the most of it, as you are unlikely to find such a positive, successful mix of people everywhere you go. And should a smoke monster emerge in the breakroom one day, do your best to find a good hiding place until things settle down and you can resume the work mission ahead.
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