BOBA FETT INFLUENCE ON MY WORK ETHIC
Smart, silent and bad ass.
If I had to give three descriptors of Boba Fett, those are them. I grew up a Star Wars kid (hell, I still am) and I recently noticed that my work style is a lot like Boba’s. Coincidence? Maybe. Years of subliminal absorption with tendencies imprint personas from a fictional world into mine? Maybe-er. Whatever the root cause, it’s there. So please read on as a lot of Bothans died to bring you this post.
Assess the Situation
In my mind, one of the biggest reasons things go awry when a problem arises is due to knee jerking. Don’t freak out and pull a Solo – AKA being foolhardy and running headlong into a room full of Stormtroopers (AKA-er more problems).
Take some time to absorb what just happened and how it impacts what you’re doing, form a plan and then act on it. In my experience, reacting rashly often times causes more problems than it solves. Take the time to plan your attack, so to speak, and you can turn any project into your own personal ambush in Cloud City.
Less Talking, More Doing
Yes, to get a great solution, you’ll need to meet with the other people on your team, the client, whomever you need to help you complete your assignment. What you don’t need is a lot of people talking at each other instead of with each other – then having no one actually doing anything based on the banter. There are a lot of big talkers in the world and not enough big doers.
When I’m in meetings, I’ll pipe up when I have something of value to add. If I don’t, I listen… absorb… plan. The more you listen, the more you’ll get a sense of what the issues really are, how to tackle them, and who are the people that are going to be doing – not just talking . Connect with the doers and move to the next phase. Drum roll, please.
Kick Ass
This might be the single most important thing Fett does. And it’s not in the guns blazing, take no prisoners kind of way. It’s the collected, mastermind, “I always have a plan” kind of way. When you see others do it, it might seem daunting . It’s not. In fact, it’s easy. Really easy.
Gather the facts
Make a plan
Act on your plan
That’s all you have to do. Just come at it in an intelligent manner. Keep your cool. Complete your objective. A little thought and planning will put you light years ahead of where you’d be if you knee jerk.
Collect Your Reward
You’ve done your research. You’ve schemed and plotted. You set your plan in motion. Now, it’s payday. Armed with knowledge and a strong team, you can complete any mission project more efficiently, with better results and less stress.
Taking the time to do this, doesn’t mean that the process is “slow” by any means. This can all happen very quickly (and usually does). But a moment to take stock and think can help make you the most desired bounty hunter team member in your office.
Nerd’s Note: This is based on my childhood memories of Boba. OT only. No Book of Boba Fett or The Mandolorian.