By Maggie Bender-Johnson, CEO, Bender Insurance Solutions
At a recent conference, my fellow employee-owner Dona Lisa Buschmann came across a fun and thought-provoking question:
What can business leaders learn from Star Trek: The Original Series?
It immediately grabbed my attention. My first thought? “It takes a woman to make things happen.” 😉 Fun fact: Lucille Ball—yes, that Lucille Ball—personally championed Star Trek and kept it on the air through her company, Desilu Productions. She believed in the show’s potential and made a bold, visionary call that changed television history. Talk about leadership.
Naturally, I couldn’t resist digging deeper. I turned to my favorite (and always-available) brainstorming partner—ChatGPT—and together we pulled out six surprisingly relevant leadership lessons from the original Star Trek series:
1. Diverse Teams Drive Innovation
The Enterprise crew broke barriers in the 1960s with its diverse cast—different races, backgrounds, and even species. Captain Kirk didn’t just accept these differences—he relied on them. The takeaway for business leaders? Inclusive teams lead to better problem-solving, creativity, and performance.
2. Balance Logic and Emotion
Spock and McCoy often embodied two ends of the leadership spectrum—pure logic versus deep empathy. Kirk’s strength was his ability to balance both. Strong leaders know when to trust the data and when to lead with heart.
3. Empower Your Team
Kirk was the face of leadership, but he didn’t micromanage. He trusted his crew—Uhura with communications, Scotty with engineering, Sulu at the helm. He empowered his team to lead in their own areas of expertise, creating a culture of confidence, ownership, and accountability.
4. Adaptability is Key
Every episode brought something new—an unknown planet, unexpected danger, or a moral dilemma. The Enterprise crew had to adapt constantly. Leaders today must do the same: stay calm, pivot quickly, and solve problems even when the path isn’t clear.
5. Have a Mission Worth Following
“To boldly go where no one has gone before.” The Federation’s mission was bold, clear, and deeply motivating. Great leaders articulate a purpose that goes beyond tasks—it inspires, unites, and propels teams forward.
6. Ethics Matter
Star Trek regularly tackled tough moral questions—justice, fairness, responsibility. The crew was guided by principle, not just protocol. In business, as in space, how we lead matters just as much as where we’re going.
Leadership inspiration can come from the most unexpected places—even a sci-fi series set in the 23rd century.
At Bender, we believe leadership is a lifelong journey—and we’re committed to continuous improvement, learning from every experience (even those beamed in from the final frontier). As an employee-owned company, we all share in that mission—together.
What unexpected source has shaped your leadership style? I’d love to hear it.
Sincerely,
Maggie Bender-Johnson, CEO, Bender Insurance Solutions
