The Faulkner Reyes Dynamic

[tylik]

So we know that part of Falkner's job is the keep a leash on Reyes. And that she often does a lot better than Reyes on personnel management. I don't feel like I've seen nearly enough of her management style to get a real feel for her strengths and weaknesses* (especially in the field) but she seems to be a very steady hand on the tiller.

Contrasted with Reyes, who is brilliant but more than a little a loose cannon.

Some part of me would love to try and categorize their strengths into strategy and tactics, but I don't know that we could really say that. Reyes seems to be at his strongest on the ground, reading situations and playing people. But the miscall (if it was a miscall - Falkner would have handled Chaz and Brady better, but would she have handled Tim Miner as well?) in Sin Eater is hard to overlook.

Falkner and Reyes seem to have pretty complementary skills in many ways - how could things be best structured to get the most use out of them?

Would the team be better with Falkner leading it?

For that matter would Reyes do better in some kind of privileged first minion role?**

* Let me put in my vote for more Falkner in tactical situations. Yeah!
** Minions, by the way, are partly defined by having a fair degree of independence, unlike flunkies - not that I'd expect to see flunkies in ACTF. I am also thinking of my own experience as a manager. I'm decent, not great - I haven't managed up that well, but I tend to put together tight knit efficient teams that work well together. When I'm managing, though, I'm not at my most innovative - I think having to be a Responsible Adult kind of takes the edge off.

[DavidG]

*thwack* Bad dwg, bad! Must not think Faulkner-Reyes slash....

[DavidG]

A little more seriously, Reyes as the necessary leader is growing on me. I think being head of WTF is a job that requires you to regularly put yourself in a position where you may need to sacrifice a pawn. I think that comes easier to Reyes than to Faulkner - there's a wee bit more of the self-centred sociopath in him, a ruthlessness that Esther lacks. Es might be able to do it, but I think ultimately it would damage her.

And, running counter to the usual sexual stereotype, Reyes seems to have a touch of intuition that Faulkner hasn't manifested. Napoleon said 'I'd rather my generals be lucky than good', I'd prefer them to be both. Esther is good, Reyes may be both.

The best people-manager of all is Sol, but he does that by not being the leader.

[nebula]

The best people-manager of all is Sol, but he does that by not being the leader.

Yes, he's in the best position for what he does well.

(re: Reyes/Faulkner - technically it wouldn't be slash . . . unless there is something about one of them that none of us yet knows. Crack!fic, definitely.)

[Cal]

For that matter would Reyes do better in some kind of privileged first minion role?**
...

** Minions, by the way, are partly defined by having a fair degree of independence, unlike flunkies - not that I'd expect to see flunkies in ACTF. I am also thinking of my own experience as a manager. I'm decent, not great - I haven't managed up that well, but I tend to put together tight knit efficient teams that work well together. When I'm managing, though, I'm not at my most innovative - I think having to be a Responsible Adult kind of takes the edge off.

Speaking as someone who currently is one--minions are mostly defined as the Secret Rulers of the Universe.  If they're doing their jobs properly, they're actually in charge of their bosses to no small degree.

That's not a position I want someone with Reyes' obsessive tendencies and mastery of the sneaky to be in!  I think it's better to have him as the declared leader and have someone (that he is more or less aware of, because the consequences of the alternative would eventually be dire) managing him from the next rung down the ladder.

[Cole]

For that matter would Reyes do better in some kind of privileged first minion role?**
...

** Minions, by the way, are partly defined by having a fair degree of independence, unlike flunkies - not that I'd expect to see flunkies in ACTF. I am also thinking of my own experience as a manager. I'm decent, not great - I haven't managed up that well, but I tend to put together tight knit efficient teams that work well together. When I'm managing, though, I'm not at my most innovative - I think having to be a Responsible Adult kind of takes the edge off.

Speaking as someone who currently is one--minions are mostly defined as the Secret Rulers of the Universe.  If they're doing their jobs properly, they're actually in charge of their bosses to no small degree.

That's not a position I want someone with Reyes' obsessive tendencies and mastery of the sneaky to be in!  I think it's better to have him as the declared leader and have someone (that he is more or less aware of, because the consequences of the alternative would eventually be dire) managing him from the next rung down the ladder.

That, exactly.