Everything I know about business, I could have learnt from Star Trek!

By Dr Thomas Heyn, Managing Partner at AltoPartners Munich and a member of the AltoPartners Global Operating Committee

There’s a show on TV – on primetime and in infinite re-runs – about a small team of co-workers that career around the universe in decidedly entrepreneurial fashion. Although they do report to a head office (It’s called “Earth”), they pretty much make their own decisions. And like most entrepreneurs, they have learnt that they generally maximize their own self-interest when they help others. Which may be why they call their starship “Enterprise”.

If you have never watched Star Trek, here are 10 deep-space business lessons that may save you shelling out $20,000 for an MBA:

1. Always obey the Prime Directive – except of course when it gets in the way.
2. Logic is never enough.
3. Very few conflicts can be settled with a phaser.
4. Anyone can do Warp14. But they can’t keep it up very long.
5. No matter how advanced we think we are, there’s always someone who’s faster, stronger or smarter.
6. The unidentified crewman always gets killed.
7. Engineering can always get things done sooner than they say they can.
8. Never judge anyone by their ears.
9. “Boldly” is the only way to go.
10. Being captain is the best job there is.

Live Long & Prosper!