In yesterday’s post, I described the NOW leader characteristics that Gilligan often exhibits on the popular show Gilligan’s Island. Prior to that, I discussed some of the WOW traits that The Skipper possessed, along with his role as the group’s positional leader. Today, I’ll continue examining characters on the show with a look at the cool and collected Professor.

The Professor:  As the cerebral member of the group with an advanced education and an overall serious-natured intelligence, The Professor might be perceived as the likely leadership candidate for the group. However, book smarts and leadership savvy are not one in the same.

In Season 2, Episode 11: The Chain of Command, The Skipper sets out on a quest to find an acceptable leader in case he was captured by aggressive natives. It’s painfully noticeable that The Professor is not the right man for the job, as he demonstrates that he’s more comfortable dealing with inanimate, scientific material than interacting with humans.

The Professor’s scientific knowledge comes in handy on more than one occasion. His no-nonsense persona is a vital foil to the nonsensical behaviors of many of those in the group. In one of my past blogs, I talked about the positive effects of a placebo and the negative effects of a nocebo. In Season 3, Episode 1: Up At Bat, the learned Professor uses his knowledge of placebos to calm Gilligan when he is bitten by a bat and fears he is becoming a vampire. By concocting a placebo serum that he presents as a cure-all for Gilligan’s ills, The Professor is able to diffuse the situation and put the matter to rest. But it is only through a scientific approach that he is able to take charge and succeed.

While the professor is indeed the smartest of the bunch, and would most certainly score well on any standardized test, his intellectual ability isolates him from the emotional side of the equation. A great leader must not only be able to understand the business or logical aspects of running a company or group, he must also be in touch with the needs and challenges faced by his team or employees. The Professor is a man of reason and logic, and doesn’t buy into the schemes and pipe-dreams of those he’s marooned with, and that sets him apart from the others in a way that would make him inept as the group’s primary leader.

Tomorrow, the fun continues with an examination of the millionaire, Mr. Howell.