Characters We Work With – Mr. Robot
The world of the workplace can be a mysterious one, where office politics can feel like a complex hackathon and deadlines are like ticking time bombs. With plot-twists at every turn, and intriguing characters roaming the workplace hallways with us, it can feel a bit like we are on the set of the hit TV Show, Mr. Robot. Determining the fate of the world may not show up on this week’s daily planner, but when the pressure at work ratchets up, it sure can feel like the business, or at least our career, may hang in the balance. With co-workers whose personalities run the gamut, from the unpredictable, the analytical, the emotional, to the ambitious and sometimes rebellious, it won’t be too big a leap to see just how closely the high-tech cast from Mr. Robot lines up to some of the Characters We Work With every day.
The “Angela Moss” Office Idealist
With many people just looking to do their job as best they can, and simply fit in, it is refreshing when we work alongside someone like who brings spirit, and intrigue, and passion in all they do. That is our Angela Moss. The Angela is the idealistic coworker who dreams of making a difference everywhere she goes. And like the determined character, she embodies a grand vision of transforming office culture to make the world, starting with our workplace, better for everyone. The passion and optimism the Angela exudes is contagious, often inspiring others to change how they look at the working world. The Angela operates with the right level of diplomacy, not looking to take her quest for workplace Nirvana too far. She won’t rage against the machine, nor look for the company to build workplace culture. The Angela has her own vision of what drives culture, and looks to everyone to do their part to make the office, and all its inhabitants, a community built on kinship and support. She is a rare breed.
The “Tyrell Wellick” Office Ambitious Achiever
We all have ambitions and goals for our career, whether we have created a solid strategy, built the roadmap, or simply believe that through hard work our opportunity will come. But there are others whose ambitions dwarf anything most people dream of, and here we call him The Tyrell. The Tyrell is an ambitious over-achiever who stops at nothing to climb the corporate ladder, aiming only ever at the highest levels of standing and success. What he is working on at the moment is secondary to what it will mean and where it will get him tomorrow. In his quest for corporate supremacy, the Tyrell will accept the highest levels of risk if it means accomplishing his next goal. He will sidestep, overstep, and simply step right on you if you get in his way. And his talent for the work and his exceptional business acumen mostly causes people to get over into the right lane to let him pass, lest he run over you. While the Tyrell will certainly be parking himself in the C-Suite before it’s all said and done, it will come at the cost of any solid working relationships, and many personal ones. But he is undaunted. He is in it to win it, and relationships of any kind are just white noise to the power he intends to wield someday. Mostly, you feel sympathy for The Tyrell, not that he cares, but you imagine how lonely he must actually be. But that is quickly overtaken by the actual love-hate relationship the world has with the Tyrell. His mother loves him, and everyone else hates him.
The “Darlene” Office Rebel
We all get to work with that ‘Office Rebel’ at a few of our career stops. In our workplace, we call her ‘The Darlene’. Nothing slips by her, from the smallest procedural changes, to updates to policies or benefits or workflow, the Darlene will be assessing every square inch to see if there is any downside to the team, or to the client. Some office rebels we’ve worked with do so as a smokescreen to cover their poor work, and don’t typically last too long. But not here, where The Darlene leads the fight for workplace justice. She is exceptional at her job, bringing innovation and execution excellence that is unparalleled in these parts. The Darlene also has a great personality, is fun to be around, and relates exceedingly well with people at all levels of the organization. It is only when there is a wrong that needs to be righted that we see The Darlene dons the cape to take on the evil-doers responsible.
The “Mr. Robot” Office Mystery
Who is the Mr. Robot of our office anyway? We know who runs the office, who the boss is, who the boss’ boss is, right up the chain. We know generally who does what and for what purpose. But then we have the office enigmas, whose titles are vague like inter-departmental specialist, or communications development associate, or human resources. They sound okay, but you have never seen them do anything and therefore assume they are there for a different reason. Perhaps it is to spy on the workforce and report back to corporate any potential threats from within that may be out there. Here that is our Mr. Robot. He does something, we’re not sure what, but speaks with an intellect well beyond what his indefinable job title suggests. His cryptic behavior consistently leaves co-workers wondering about his true intentions, and his speedwalk to the fax machine to covertly get his printout, shield it from view, and quickly return to his office only instills curiosity and mistrust among the team. Something in you suggests that you leave it alone. Much like we have resigned ourselves to the fact that our social media platforms, the Alexas, and the Siris are always listening and monitoring what we’re doing, so is the Mr. Robot. The best way to survive and keep your sanity, is to keep your nose clean, do your work, and try not to make eye contact so he doesn’t size you up and start digging in to your life!
The “Elliot Alderson” Office Techie
With technology constantly evolving, few workplaces can survive without that person with ultra high-tech gifts, who keep the office running through every hiccup, from simple connectivity issues, to system conversions, to cyber-attacks that threaten to shut down the whole operation if not managed properly and swiftly. In our office, we have The Elliot who is light years ahead of the average I.T. specialist, possessing the hacking prowess and brilliant mind of a seasoned cybersecurity expert. The Elliot is able to troubleshoot any technical issue and also navigate through office networks with ease. He brings an intense focus, a cut above what we’re used to from I.T., with the more familiar introverted nature of our technical colleagues, which cast The Elliot as something of a lone wolf in the workplace. But you are all too happy to have him on your side. Whether your system has broken down, you have been hacked, or perhaps opened that email that suggested you won a free cruise, The Elliot will take swift action to resolve the issue. And the fact that he won’t tell anyone what email you opened or what site you ventured on to that you should not have, causing a network virus outbreak, is just icing on the cake. Every workplace needs The Elliot.
The workplace can often become a bit of a mystery. That shouldn’t surprise anyone, as everywhere we go, there is a wide-ranging mix of personalities, work habits, ambitions, and skills among even the most cohesive teams. With varied strengths, passions, and abilities, this can keep things interesting, and be a powerful combination for a business when properly channeled. These career stops can also consist of Rebels, Techies, Over-Achievers, and a sprinkling of genius at times. While we assume we don’t live in The Matrix(OR DO WE!!!), it is easy to see how a group of characters on a great tv show we find ourselves binge-watching, can easily mirror many of the Characters We Work With every day.
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