As the 7th episode premiers in cinemas this week, we take a look at what valuable career lessons we can take from the Star Wars story so far.
1. When getting started, you need a great mentor
Having a great mentor can make a big impact on the future of your career. They will be able to pass on their skills, knowledge and expertise, equipping you with the tools to make your career a success. You’ll be able to progress and develop much quicker with an expert mentor who has time to work with you. A dedicated mentor will be able to recognise your strengths and help you to improve your skill-set.
Qui-Gon Jinn does a great job of mentoring his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi. With Qui-Gon’s teaching, Obi-Wan follows in his footsteps by becoming a Jedi Master and securing a seat on the prestigious Jedi Council.
On the other hand, Anakin Skywalker makes a grave mistake when he chooses to take Darth Sidious as his mentor over Obi-Wan Kenobi. Darth Sidious manipulates and uses Anakin for his own gain and, needless to say, things do not end well…
2. Use the force
Ok, so you may not be able to harness the power of the force to propel your way to career success but there is something to be said for trusting your instincts. You’ll hear this advice given by many successful entrepreneurs such as Lord Alan Sugar and Sir Richard Branson. This is simply because, more often than not our instincts are right.
Jedi Knights are always reminded to use their senses and feel the force, they trust their feelings and intuition completely and often base their decisions on them. Hans Solo is also a man who trusts his instincts. Despite many scrapes with death, his self-belief and instinctive reactions always seem to pull him through.
3. Believe in yourself
Wise Master Yoda understands how detrimental self-limitation can be when he states; “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” We all want to be successful in our careers, but those who lack self-confidence psychologically limit themselves. They may not commit to or give their all to an idea because they don’t fully believe that they can do it.
Fully-trained Jedi are successful because they believe in themselves.
4. Communication is key
Star Wars exists in a universe with a wide range of intelligent species who have to work together to achieve their goals. There are numerous languages, cultures and beliefs to overcome.
Communication is complex in our world too. We all have preferred styles and should make an effort to adapt our styles when working with others. Want to discover how you communicate? Take our Communication Style Quiz.
5. Don’t let power go to your head
As you work your way up the career ladder you are likely to progress into roles with more responsibility and more power. You may find yourself managing a whole team of people, taking the lead in important projects or working on top clients. When this happens, don’t turn into an overbearing micro-manager. You should be able to delegate, but trust your team to complete their tasks.
When in a position of power or leadership it is important not to let it go to your head. This could be your downfall, like Anakin Skywalker whose power-hungry streak leads him to the dark side of the force where he reigns with fear and cruelty.
