"What Flavor is the Company Kool-Aid?"
Google Movie Synopsis:
A Civil War soldier develops a relationship with a band of Lakota Indians. Attracted by the simplicity of their lifestyle, he chooses to leave his former life behind to be with them. Having observed him, they give the name Dances With Wolves. Soon he is a welcomed member of the tribe and falls in love with a white woman who has been raised in the tribe. Tragedy results when Union soldiers arrive with designs on the land.
Scenario:
Lt. Dunbar (Kevin Costner) meets with Ten Bears (Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman) to tell him of his plans to leave with Stands With A Fist (Mary McDonnell). Lt. Dunbar learns he is no longer the person he used to be, he has transformed into his surroundings and habitat.
Selected Scene:
Ten Bears: Dances with Wolves has been quiet these past days. Is his heart bad?
John Dunbar: Killing those soldiers at the river was a good thing. I never got to thank all of you for saving me. I did not mind killing those men, I was glad to do it. But now I know that the soldiers hate me like they have no other. Because I killed soldiers, men of my own race, they think I am a traitor. And now they will hunt for me, and when they find me, they will find you. I think it would be wise to move the village to another location right now. As for me, I will be leaving. I will be leaving with my wife, Stands with a Fist as soon as possible. I must go and try to talk to those that will listen.
Ten Bears: Quiet! You are all hurting my ears, leave us! You are the only white man I have ever known. I have thought about you a lot. More than you think. And I understand your concern. But I think you are wrong. The white man the soldiers are looking for no longer exists. Now there is only a Sioux named Dances with Wolves.Business Tip:
During the process of entering the workforce or thinking about your next career move, we often only consider two factors when making a decision, salary and title. I'm not going to argue these two questions don't deserve to be at the top, however, as the scene above depicts, inevitably you will become a reflection of the company's values, beliefs and reputation. A.K.A., drinking the company Kool-Aid. Drinking the Kool-Aid is not necessarily a bad thing, just ask yourself a few questions, Am I getting the experience I need? Does the company receive positive or negative press? Is the company transparent on issues? If the answers to these questions are positive then a little Kool-Aid is okay but never at the expense of your character and reputation. I'll end with a quote from a famous American entrepreneur and motivational speaker, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." And yes, the majority of these five will be work colleagues and your boss. Just ask "Stands with a Fist!"
