The Staff and Management Roles in Star Wars
The Team and Leadership Roles in Star Wars
A very long time back, in a management staff much, significantly absent … etcetera, etcetera.
Many of us have grown to adore the figures established by George Lucas for his Star Wars epics, and we have also engaged with their onscreen tales.
What many fans are in any case much less mindful of, is that Lucas (fairly crystal clear a Plant) drew intensely from mythological archetypes to better notify his character development when crafting these now very well-acknowledged people.
He consulted a excellent deal with his mate, and well-known mythologist and folklorist Joseph Campbell. Lucas explored the depths of Campbell's well-known operates these as “The Hero With 1000 Faces” to greater comprehend the journey of the hero.
For followers of Campbell's work, the insights into the “Hero's Journey” can be observed in the tracks of many of the principal Star Wars figures this sort of as Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan Kanobe and Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader.
There is there in advance of a very good deal of “truth” that underpins just about every of the key characters with regards to their strengths and weaknesses. Like lots of well-composed figures from fiction, they have been drawn from a mix of actual life examples and also classic hero or villain archetypes from folklore and mythology.
For instance the intelligent and noble Obi Wan, who is a combination mix of the basic Arthurian Knight and a Samurai Learn. This manifests in his disciplined, wise and decent bearing both equally as an elite warrior and a philosophical seeker of better truth.
So even though we may firmly be inside the realm of science fiction, how may well some of the Star Wars people match up with the Belbin Staff Function varieties, as they much too are descriptive of further behavioral clusters to be found in all groups and cases?
Like all of us, these characters are not just slotted into 1 Crew Role model, but alternatively can be a unique blend of several that determine their contribution to their individual communities, groups and groups (and also their weaknesses).
In a nutshell we have pondered, reviewed and discussed some of the principal figures into the pursuing Crew Roles.
Plant
Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kanobi, Emperor Palpatine, Luke Skywalker
Source Investigator
Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Boba Fett, Qui Gon Jinn
Co ordinator
Grand Moth Tarkin, Princess Leia, Obi Wan Kanobi, Qui Gon Jinn, The Emperor
Shaper
Princess Leia, Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader, Han Solo
Observe Evaluator
Learn Yoda, Master Mace Windu
Teamworker
Padme Amidala, C-3P0, Shmi Skywalker
Implementer
Chewbacca, R2D2, C-3P0, Darth Maul, Jengo Fett, The Stormtroopers
Completer Finisher
Owen Lars, Learn Yoda, Darth Vader, R2D2, C-3P0
Expert
Grasp Yoda, Master Mace Windu, The Emperor, Admiral Piett
And listed here's why we believe so …
Plant
(creative, unorthodox, independent thinker, visionary, creative, dreamers)
Anakin Skywalker demonstrates Plant visits early in life with his innovative styles. In his early yrs, these kinds of as in “Episode 1” Anakin possessed an capability to generate anything revolutionary from practically nothing, ie he constructed a pod racer which took out the championship beating Sebula in a custom manufactured craft.
An impartial thinker and in his have suitable and pretty unorthodox, he also developed the loveable Human Cyborg Relations Android C-3P0 (so often some Expert is there also?).
The Emperor Palpatine is a dark visionary Plant of kinds, with grand visions for the Galaxy and numerous creative schemes for achieving its aims.
Of class the noble Jedi Grasp Obi Wan is also fairly adept at thinking and searching by complicated challenges and deriving a creative methods (even as an Apprentice in Ep 1).
Luke Skywalker is an archetypal hero who strives in direction of targets arising from his creativeness, and is also a dreamer with idealistic visions. He is another person who is eager to break away from the “norm”, spurn the mundane and to forge his possess path.
Luke also comes up with some welcome creative methods and methods to problems that are perplexing or endangering his workforce (and is often obscure, naïve and out of touch with the pressing realities of the minute in his young times).
Useful resource Investigator
(explorers, negotiators, curious, hazard takers, business owners, influential)
The quick thinking and quick conversing Han Solo is certainly a excellent negotiator.
He is ready to wheel and deal, and impact others to get what he wants, as is his pal Lando Calrissean.
As smugglers, pirates and traders they have the natural means to be curious and opportunistic, negotiate discounts and choose hazards. Their pretty nature can make them natural explorers and promoters of their hottest interests.
You could also contain the Bounty Hunter Boba Fett in this team. Resourceful and and a really serious hazard taker, plying his trade of collecting payment for rounding up scoundrels this kind of as the smugglers stated higher than.
Learn Qui Gon Jinn is also rather a expert negotiator with the warm people today capabilities of a great RI when he wants them, but he also appears to temper the absence of adhere to-by way of and concentrate of a typical RI with other function strengths acquired in his Jedi education.
Co-ordinator
(calm, experienced, natural chairperson, managers of talent in some others)
Grand Moth Tarkin on the command deck of the Demise Star is pretty the delegator, and also a natural supervisor and overseer of the development of the ultimate weapons system in the galaxy. He does not fluster effortlessly, even when destroying Leia Organa's home world of Alderaan to achieve his staff's plans.
Organa herself also possesses a range of these qualities in the early years but softens with time (or is it just the scoundrel?
Lando Calrissian also possesses a natural capability to deal with and lead. Soon after profitable Cloud Town in a activity of prospect, he results in being the 1 fairly unwittingly skilled supervisor of a key facility.
Obi Wan and his Master Qui Gon Jinn also excel at consulting and harnessing the skills of other people to entire the mission, but then again, so far too does the Emperor who can also be pretty a well mannered chap and calmly commanding of his subordinates.
Shaper
(dynamic, pushed, competitive, challenging, daring, blunt, risky)
Princess Leia demonstrates the psychological tenacity and will to acquire from all odds of a Shaper as she drives the team from in the vanguard of the revolt. Never ever fearful to talk her thoughts, she stands up to other Shapers and has a agency eye on attaining her and the teams' goals.
Anakin / Darth Vader typically demonstrates the generate of the Shaper, but also the volatility and simplicity of provocation that manifest as Shaper weaknesses, and Darth certainly has the uncompromising tenacity to rid the galaxy of the relics of the outdated republic, a person Jedi at a time .
Han Solo as a relation hero, usually also encompasses the bluntness and volatility of a person who is willing to speak his brain to get his have way. Han also demonstrates impatience with what he may see as the sterile processes of the Rebel commanders, and just needs to “get on with matters”.
Keep track of Evaluator
(analytical, dispersion, evaluative, critical thinker)
Yoda is adept at weighing up all options, calculating the chance compared to reward and bluntly questioning the sick-deemed goals and ideas of people like the young Luke Skywalker (and in advance of him his Father Anakin).
Master Mace Windu is similarly a great “satan's advocate” for the overly optimistic options of other individuals and serves to level out the inherent dangers.
In truth all Jedi Masters pleasure by themselves upon removing passion and emotion from their selection-making approach to see matters with utmost clarity and “just as they are”. In get to retain the means of the power alive, removing emotion, enthusiasm and bias for superior conclusion-earning is to them the most reasonable way to achieve the mission for their staff.
A good Keep an eye on Evaluator may perhaps refer to this.
Teamworker
(caring, supportive, superior listener, adaptable, relationship oriented)
The helpful and compassionate Queen Padme Amidala is often on hand with an ear for the issues and fears of some others, and she also compassionately champions the numerous brings about of her people.
The flexible and at any time-supportive C3PO is constantly assisting other people above and over his have self-passions and even actual physical protection (despite his protests).
Anakin's mom Shmi Skywalker also has an noticeable supportive kindness to her mother nature, and a feeling of self-sacrifice to not only her individual loved ones, but also in direction of strangers in will need.
Implementer
(effectively-arranged, disciplined, methodical, systematic, reliable, faithful)
The loyalty of Han Solo's challenging operating Wookie sidekick Chewbacca is apparent in his “guiding the scenes” endeavours to retain the Millennium Falcon and its many techniques functional (even below the worst situation).
Darth Maul is also an illustration of a dutiful and reputable “Implementer” of the strategies from his senior management, as is Bounty Hunter Jengo Fett (who serves as the template for all loyal Storm Troopers).
R2D2 also displays the loyalty of a very good IMP, as Luke stated in Ep4 “I've never witnessed this kind of a devotion in a droid.” We may possibly also want to mention the tricky doing the job and dependable Ewoks on the Forest Moon of Endor in this group?
Completer Finisher
(Perfectionist, conscientious, sets large specifications, anxious about detail)
The people that work relentlessly, and occasionally rather anxiously, to get it “just suitable” with those crucial high-quality information.
For illustration R2D2 (sometimes also 3PO to some extent?) Who can be relied upon to verify and deal with the moment information throughout the execution of a intricate plan (when all some others overlook the finer points).
Chewbacca also can be relied on to get matters appropriate and abide by-by, and potentially also Luke's sick-fated Uncle with an eye for perfection, Owen Lars.
Jedi Master Yoda and Boba Fett are both meticulous in their planning to complete their independent plans, both of those are conscientious in their own beliefs and the significant standards that they set to obtain them.
Admiral Piett also espouses factors of this role in his prosperous landing and floor invasion of the ice earth of Hoth, destroying the defend turbines in get for the key entire body of troops to invade. Piett is watchful not to repeat the mistakes created by his predecessor and arouse the fury of Lord Vader's Shaper.
In simple fact Darth himself demonstrates some CF tendencies as he is normally reticent to delegate, getting palms-on himself in quite a few occasions exactly where he wishes it performed “his way”, and is also brief to choose up the glitches of his subordinates.
Professional
(Single-minded specialist in a unique subject, professionally devoted to their place)
Yoda summed up his Professional tendencies anyway with his quote – “For 900 many years have I trained Jedi”. Only a true Professional could stick at anything for 900 years.
Mace Windu also has this enthusiasm for his area, and indeed any of the attained Sith or Jedi Masters (together with The Emperor) who have focused a life time to mastering the obscure and highly specialised Jedi arts.
They also change their have zeal for learning into becoming a font of know-how and instruction to their personal Padawans / apprentices who are in search of to grasp this specialized spot of martial competencies them selves.
C3P0 also appears to turn out to be to some degree of a “strolling encyclopaedia” of Galactic understanding in his have subject fields of work., So probable has some SP also.
So when the prolonged-awaited Star Wars 7 eventually hits the massive monitor, enable's see if any of the major people that we have developed to adore have adjusted the ranked buy of their Roles as they experienced, or created and expanded their Staff Part repertoires.
Right up until then …,
“Might The Workforce Roles Be With You”.
Meet up with “Saber's pretty have Storm Trooper”
Our very own topic matter specialist (“Professional”) on all matters “Star Wars” is Saber Facilitator Jarrod Tetro.
Amongst a lot of skills (together with operational army provider as an Officer in the Australian Military, a Police Officer and a Saber facilitator) is a life-lengthy curiosity in Star Wars and also membership of the popular “501st Legion”.
We had been most destined to be able to consult with him for this posting, and to gain from his insights and opinions on these figures.
The 501st Legion is a George Lucas approved intercontinental fraternity of Star Wars fans who work helplessly for charity results in (this sort of as child's healthcare facility visits, charity times and fundraisers) with film exact costumes and Storm Trooper armour as pictured over.
Whilst, it is a small challenging to select Jarrod out in this pic as they all have a tendency search the similar when in costume?
Look at out the 501st Legion (Redback Garrison) and support their charities when you can.
Talan Miller
Running Director
Saber Corporate Growth
June 2014
