My son is about to turn six and I couldn’t wait any longer to introduce my movie buddy to Empire Strikes Back. Over the long holiday weekend, I put the movie in and he was so excited!
Unfortunately, I had horrible timing. After a hot day at the beach, he fell asleep in the first 15 minutes!
With my buddy snoozing, I was able to peacefully rewatch one of my favorite movies. The next day, he wanted to pick up where he fell asleep…and racked out again!
I probably watched Empire four times over the weekend, enthralled with how Luke, Leia, Han and the gang worked as individuals and a team to problem solve and save the galaxy. They reminded me of so many team members I have worked with over the years…as well as myself. Each have characteristics to be admired, possibly rueful of, that any of us might identify with.
Han Solo
It’s Leia that says to Han “You’re a natural leader.” Indeed, Han is the guy everyone wants to follow. He leads with his heart and his spirit, running in when others might run away. He is brave, sometimes to the point of foolishness, rushing in without thinking.
Rushing forward with passion ahead of planning may very well win the day…occasionally. To balance a natural tendency to jump first and look later, Han surrounds himself with team mates who can look ahead to a potential bad landing.
Princess Leia
Leia starts out as demanding, entitled and fully expecting everyone to follow her every command. Her attitude is balanced by a fierce loyalty and dedication to her cause and friends.
Due to her royal upbringing, Leia has to learn how to deal with having her authority challenged. She comes to accept that teamwork often means coming up with a common, workable solution, rather than just deciding for everyone.
Once she loosens up a little and trusts her team members, Leia is happy to go to bat for them and use all of her skills to help the team achieve success.
Luke Skywalker
All of us have met – and many of us have been – that enthusiastic newbie with more promise than real ability.
Luke starts out with high potential (“the force is strong in this one”) with no experience. One or two successes do not equal greatness and it takes time and patience for him to become the Jedi he was meant to be.
Along the way, in spite of the whining and arrogance of youth, Luke shows he is a loyal friend and willing to fight for what he believes in. This core of goodness is necessary for him to battle the dark side.
Chewbaca the Wookiee
Chewie is the right-hand to the man. He’s the one you want by your side in a pinch, which Han gets himself into regularly. Great with weapons, tools, and transportation, he’s a jack-of-all-trades who is dependable and loyal to a fault.
Chewie’s size and strength are intimidating to many, and he’s not afraid to take advantage of that fact to win…whether it’s a friendly game of chess or in battle. Luckily, if he’s on your side, you have a strong heart, mind and body committed to the team’s success.
C3PO
If there was one word to describe C3PO, it would be “nay-sayer.” Every plan is doomed and we are always done for. Eventually, C3PO has his day to contribute to the success of the team, but along the way he tries everyone’s patience.
Any of us might experience moments of doubt or thoughts that a particular direction is unsound. Differences of opinion are natural. However, being a full-blown Negative Nancy about everything? At least C3PO has an off switch.
R2D2
For two robots, R2D2 and C3PO couldn’t be more different. R2D2 consistently delivers results. He is willing to take risks and go into the unknown to meet the needs of his team members.
R2D2 is so driven to do the “right thing” that he often frustrates his friend C3PO, who prefers the safer path…and often R2D2’s assignments push the boundaries of “safe.” R2D2 is the one you send in when you want to make sure the work that needs doing gets done, no matter what the circumstances may be.
Obi-Wan Kanobi
What hasn’t already been said about Obi-Wan? He’s been around forever, having seen and done it all. He is happy to share his knowledge with the next generation, knowing they need to carry the torch when he moves on to the next phase of life.
Some are dismissive of “the old fossil” and quick to discount what he knows. Yet he continues to identify and build talent, even if they think are faster, better or smarter than he is. He has moved well beyond the arrogance of youth and can look past it in others to help them achieve their true potential.
The Star Wars dream team is truly that. They may fight and disagree with one another, as independent, strong-willed personalities are wont to do. However, they are all loyal and care for one another. Even C3PO, for all his bluster, thinks of the team first when he spots trouble.
When everyone looks out for one another, loyalty is the glue that binds strong individuals into an amazing team.
Which Star Wars team member do you identify with? Have you met a Luke, Leia, or Han? Please share your thoughts in the comments to keep the conversation going.
