When someone fails spectacularly at their job – in their area of expertise, we say, jokingly, “You had one job…” – implying the failure.
Lt. Uhura has one job: Communications officer. Mr. Spock has one job: Science officer. Scotty, the same, engineering, and Bones: Medical Officer.
Captain Kirk – on the other hand – does not have just one job. Not even ‘to boldly go’. The success of his missions depends entirely on contributions from all of his senior officers. And he rarely has to compromise the safety of his crew for success. If he simply listened to Scotty – they’d never go anywhere. If he ignored information from Uhura – he would never know what Starfleet Command was telling him. If he always pandered to Bones, there would be no away missions at all. And when there is an away mission there is always the risk of collateral damage. (FYI, it is always the guy in the red shirt you’ve never seen before)
However, all senior officers argue that their department is the most important. That’s what creates the tension for the show. Kirk makes his judgements based on the big picture and what must be achieved. And that’s what makes him the captain.
The Starship NZ-Enterprise is no different. Dave Clark is that guy with “one job” and, yes, he failed spectacularly. Ashleigh Bloomfield also has ‘one job’ and has been extremely successful; there’s no doubt about that.
The Prime Minister – on the other hand – does not simply have one job. She is not health minister, she is not immigration minister, nor finance minister. She is captain of the ship; she relies on (or ought to) information and direction from all her senior officers. Or the SS NZ-Enterprise will either go nowhere – or quickly crash and burn. Steering NZ-Enterprise depends on, in fact, demands, a sustained and intentional focus on the big picture.
And, sadly, what do we see happening today ? The captain has not been on the bridge. But, rather, has been sitting idly in the medical facility, with a direct line to the communications desk, but no vision of the rest of the ship. No regard for the future and ignoring the overall well-being of the crew. Oh, the team of 5M are all alive, so she looks successful – but where on earth is the ship going ?
Are we really winners ?
We are no more winners than the guy who buys all the red properties in Monopoly and builds hotels, ignoring the rest of the board.
This is not winning! It’s just identifying a problem, blowing it out of proportion and pretending that when it goes away we’ll get re-elected.
NZ-Enterprise is self destructing.
