In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Day of the Dove, which aired on November 1, 1968, Star Date Unknown.
Story Synopsis
In this episode of Trekking Through Compliance, we consider the episode Day of the Dove, which aired on November 1, 1968, Star Date Unknown.
Called to Earth colony Beta 12A by a distress signal which claims that the colony is under attack. Kirk’s suspicions of Klingon’s involvement seem confirmed when the Enterprise detects the approach of a Klingon battlecruiser.
Klingon Commander Kang and his landing party then beam down and subdue the Enterprise’s landing party. He accuses the Enterprise of attacking and killing 400 Klingons aboard his ship and demands that Kirk beam the Klingon landing party up to the Enterprise. Meanwhile, Kirk accuses Kang of destroying the colonists of 12A.
Kirk pretends to comply with Kang’s order but warns Spock by pressing a special button on his communicator. Kang and his landing party are then beamed aboard and taken prisoner with the rest of the Klingon crew, who have been beamed to the Enterprise from their stricken ship. Soon after, the Enterprise spontaneously accelerates to Warp 9 and traps all but 38 crew members below deck.
When Kirk confronts Kang and accuses him of being responsible for trapping the Enterprise’s crew, phasers and room ornaments turn into swords. The Klingons escape and take control of engineering. Their attempt to cut off life support to the bridge is foiled, however, when normal functioning returns for no apparent reason.
Meanwhile, Spock ascertained that an unfamiliar alien life force was aboard. After watching the Enterprise crew and the Klingons turn at each other’s throats, Kirk realized that the alien was influencing matter, humans, and Klingons’ behavior, somehow deriving sustenance from their violent emotions.
Kirk and Mara use intra-ship beaming to pass through the Klingon defenses. With Mara’s help, and after fighting Kang in a sword battle involving all Klingons and Enterprise crew members, Kirk eventually convinces Kang to cease hostilities and participate in temporary gestures of goodwill. These drive the creature away, returning control to Kirk.
Commentary
The episode explores the struggle between the crew of the Enterprise and Klingons under mind control, leading to violent confrontations and a painful scene of Chekov attempting to rape Mara, Kang’s wife. Tom highlights the compliance lessons from this episode, emphasizing establishing a collaborative culture within organizations. Key strategies include leadership by example, cross-functional teamwork, transparent communication, fostering a ‘speak-up’ culture, and leveraging technology to enhance compliance. He closes with tips for continuous improvement and rewards for collaborative behaviors.
Key Highlights
- Story Synopsis
- Continuity Issues and Interesting Tidbits
- Effective Strategies for Collaborative Compliance
Resources
Excruciatingly Detailed Plot Summary by Eric W. Weisstein
