Is your workplace unsinkable?
Characters from Titanic We All Work With
Corporate culture is a vast ocean of possibility, where we see sometimes find smooth sailing on calm seas when strong leadership and teamwork and leadership is in place. We also find those workplaces where bad weather and choppy waters are the story, as the staff hopes someone is keeping their eyes peeled to avoid any icebergs that may be hiding in our path. As employees, we do our best to make our career voyage a positive and productive one, knowing we can only control the contributions we make to culture, and hope everyone shares does the same. Let’s take a look at the iconic movie Titanic, and see just how this incredible cast matches up to the characters we work with.
The Cal Hockley
On every career stop there is the one with the pedigree and the connections at the exec level that tells everyone he will not be staying long. We don’t begrudge him what he was born into, but we do begrudge his brutally condescending attitude toward us bottom feeders. We learn before long that this category includes everyone from the VP Level down. Despite the inevitability of the Cal’s ascension, he still relishes the opportunity to step on others, or call out the mistakes or failures of his own team members. His upbringing and development in the industry has positioned him well to know most of what he needs to. But as those who work alongside the Cal, we know his neglect of any discernable skill, and inability to accept an ounce of feedback, will likely be his downfall. We just hope the stock market doesn’t crash, who knows what the Call might do.
The Ruth
The better career stops we find prioritize employee development, and show it one meaningful way by promoting from within. We love seeing one of our own who works hard, be a great collaborator, and then move to the role they were aiming for. The Ruth was one such good news story. However, once this happened, we saw a shift in The Ruth’s personality. No longer was she the team-driven, fun and collaborative spirit we worked with for so long. She seemingly became absorbed by her new title and responsibilities, and became far less connected and interested in her former team. Unlike those who came in with the pedigree or connection that suggest they will move swiftly up the corporate ladder, The Ruth was not born into it, but was one of us. Until she wasn’t. And over time, her old brand fades away, swallowed up by the ego-driven brand she must have been hiding all this time.
The Molly
That high spirited, unrelenting personality we all enjoy working with, is part of our leadership team. She is The Molly Brown. The Molly goes through life and work unapologetically, and unfiltered, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. When we want to know the truth, we stop by the Molly’s office. When we are feeling sensitive, or did a subpar job, we avoid the Molly like the plague. The Molly is a smart, strong-willed leader, who believes in the business, and will do what needs to be done, and make sure everyone else does likewise. Many of have tried to squelch The Molly, or take her down a peg, perhaps threatened by her talent or outspokenness, but she proves time and time again, that she is truly unsinkable.
Thomas Andrews
That meticulous colleague whose attention to detail borders on obsession we call The Tom Andrews. The Tom is one of our true unsung heroes in the office. Every flawlessly executed project and initiative has Tom’s fingerprints all over it. His meticulous planning and tireless dedication to his work is unparalleled, giving him the strongest reputation for the near-perfect quality of his work. Only once has Tom been the architect of a project that failed, but it was clear that it was not his planning at fault, but those captaining its execution.
Rose DeWitt Bukater
The Rose is the idealist of the workplace. She envisions a better day for the company, and for herself. What she lacks in experience, she makes up for with consistent effort, team spirit, and an unshakeable faith that her colleagues and leaders are all in it for the best reasons. We watch how the Rose matures in her early time with the company, networking well, learning and perfecting her craft. She shows tremendous vision for the company’s future, suggesting changes in process that will make work easier and increase revenue. The Rose proposes next generation products and services that are never just whimsical ideas, but ideas she vets out comprehensively, including competitive projections, that show she is understands the goals for today, with an eye toward long term success.
Jack Dawson
Another newbie quickly making a name for himself is The Jack Dawson. If the Rose is our dreamer who can picture a brighter day for her team and the company, The Jack takes it even further. He thinks about change and industry on a global scale. The Jack is our industry disruptor, believing that whatever we are working on now is worlds away from where it can be in the future. Working on projects with Jack is a delight, as he will ensure its intended goal is accomplished, but will add a touch of inspiration, and future-looking possibility that inspires the team and the leaders to think bigger. He would get along with that other newbie, The Rose. We should introduce them.
Throughout our career voyage, it is the Uber-Talented, the Perfectionists, the Dreamers, the Big-Thinkers and the Master-Planners who stand out most in our memories, while those who changed when they get an ounce of power, or stepped on others on their way to the top, take up very little real estate in our brains. And although we all experience failures in business, it is the many successful product launches, most profitable years we remember most, as we do the many wonderful characters we work with.
Thank You for stopping by the Break Room! Check Out ‘CW3 on YouTube’, and watch the ‘Characters We Work With’ come to life. Be sure to Like & Subscribe & Get Alerts for all new CW3 Video Posts and Channel Updates!
We Also Have ‘Characters YOU Work With’!
Click the Pic and Order Your CW3 Today!
0 Comments