The Angels are back to tackle crime and inadvertently teach us all a few management lessons. What might you glean from Charlie’s famous trio and their work environment?
What does a trio of crime-fighting detectives and their enigmatic leader teach us about the working world? A surprising amount, it seems. Read on for our top five management lessons from Charlie’s Angels…
1. Don’t keep management a mystery
It took 24 years for one of the Angels to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic Charlie, the head of their crime-fighting detective agency. The Charlie of the 70s series, 90s films and the latest 2019 outing is a mysterious figure who communicates only by phone, leaving the Angels to deal exclusively with their hapless intermediary, Bosley. As managers might already know, a divide between the executive suite and the workforce might be common, but it can lead to communication errors down the line.
2. Faith in talent will be repaid
Charles Townsend is a great believer in potential. A recruitment drive that turned unfulfilled police officers into international high-performing detectives paid off. His faith in the unknown trio – no matter the iteration – has seen the Angels scuffling from scrambler bikes, rucking on a rock crusher and even kung-fu kicking in heels, solving crimes all over the globe. Managers might do well to have faith that their talent can be leaders in their field, if given the opportunity.
3. End things on good terms with employees
Ex-Angel Madison Lee didn’t end things amicably with Charlie & Co. with the repercussions leading to an entire movie sequel plotline. The ex-employee is privy to the tricks of the Angels’ trade and proves to be a formidable opponent. You can’t help but wonder if the ensuing gunfights with the Angels could have been avoided with some mediation or an appropriate redundancy package…
4. Being trustworthy pays off
In the spy business, having trust between partners is vitally important for survival. In the workplace, it’s common courtesy for employers to be trustworthy towards their employees. Successful CEOs get the most from their team by being reliable, and though Charlie might not be the most personable boss, Bosley acts as a figurehead in which the Angels can trust, making for better success rates. Make sure your employees feel secure in their job roles and know the plan – if it works for the Angels, it can definitely work for your office.
5. Set rules about relationships
The old adage ‘never mix business with pleasure’ is particularly pertinent for the Angels. They often have to wrangle with former or current love interests who go rogue; Angel Dylan Sanders finds herself duped by Eric Knox, and Jill Munroe is tasked with bringing in investigative (and love) interest Damien Roth. A policy about relationships with clients could have gone a long way in avoiding workplace woes; Charlie and Bosley dropped the ball where that was concerned. But you can be more sensible about laying down the ground rules about business and personal relationships with clients to avoid any problems.
Images courtesy of Press Association, Getty Images and 2000 Colombia Pictures, Inc.
