Lt Jg Karen Stendhal - Nothing better than a red pistiflower!

[KRN STDL]

Karen took a sip of her drink, watching her colleague with a warm smile. She loved meeting new people and helping them grow, both at work and in life.

Stendhal: Very well. If you're ready, we can continue with the questionnaire now.

Nijal: Yes, I'm ready.

Section 2: Interpersonal Skills

1) Leadership: Do you consider yourself a leader? In what situations do you naturally take charge?

2) Teamwork: How do you work in a team setting? What are your strengths and weaknesses when collaborating with others?

3) Conflict Resolution: How do you handle disagreements and conflicts with others? Do you prefer confrontation or diplomacy?

4) Empathy: How empathetic are you? Can you understand and relate to the perspectives of others, even those who are vastly different from you?

Nijal: Maybe it seems strange to say I do prefer to work in teams and groups, since my eventual goal is to become a captain, but (beat) it's true. I developed a community with the other engineers on 'Oumuamua, and I haven't felt that same sense of community since my promotion. Of course there are engineers on the Butler, but I'm not one of them.

Stendhal: You expressed a clear desire to become a captain, but your preference for teamwork suggests a potential conflict between these two goals.
This uncertainty might be due to worries about feeling alone, losing of personal connections, or having too much stress and work as a leader.
I guess you are also missing your position as engineer.

Nijal: (another small smile) Well, I'd imagined that I would become an assistant chief in the engineering department, and then maybe a chief myself, before I tried for anything else. I'd keep my community. But that hasn't happened.

Stendhal:You definitely have a practical and grounded approach to career advancement. I think you'd be better suited for a different role than a mission specialist.

Karen watched Zi munching on the tempura blossoms.

Nijal: I much prefer diplomacy, in all contexts. I will confront, if necessary, but I come from a cultural context where confrontation is the norm, and I was trying to be something different. Empathy, I really had to develop that, and I still do! But I knew it would be impossible not to. That's what Starfleet is, isn't it, a melange that we all have to try and understand in order to represent its values. My parents taught me that, actually.

Zi blinked, surprised at the final admission. She hadn't written down anything about her parents, hadn't even thought about them as she'd been writing, but now that she spoke it all out, it seemed a clear omission.

Stendhal: This is fascinating. We’re no longer just talking about being a mission specialist; we’re discussing roles that go beyond your previous engineering position. If diplomacy interests you, I’m confident you could excel in that field. Becoming an exceptional diplomat is certainly within your reach. Tell me more about your parents now.

Nijal: They wanted something better for me. Cardassian Prime, and the whole Cardassian Union, is still recovering after the war, and (beat) that's going to go on for generations. And we've been a military people for so long, something like the war and the scale of disasters it brought was inevitable. They taught me that, too. They wanted something better for me, even if what they wanted wasn't yet something that many Cardassians were willing to consider.

Stendhal: I have a question for you, given your aspiration to become a captain. What if Cardassia offered you the position of leading a Cardassian vessel as a captain, or perhaps a Gul? How does the title 'Gul Nijal' sound to you?

Nijal: Response.

Karen took a bite of the breaded Betazoid red pistiflower. ((OOC fiore di pistefano rosso))  oO Wow, that was spicy!Oo

Stendhal: I apologize, but I believe we've strayed a bit off topic. Shall we finish the Mission Specialist questionnaire? I have the engineering questionnaire ready as well, but a diplomacy questionnaire would require some preparation on my part. It's not quite finished yet.

Nijal: Response.
Stendhal: Well we're doing good, just after halfway I would say. Two more sections left, plus the extra one. Easy Peasy!

Nijal: Response.

Stendhal: (holding her PADD) Whenever you're ready. Karen handed Zi another paper.

Section 4: Cognitive Abilities
Problem-Solving: How do you approach problem-solving? Do you prefer a logical or intuitive approach?
Decision-Making: How do you make decisions? Do you weigh the pros and cons carefully, or do you rely on your gut instincts?
Adaptability: How adaptable are you to new situations and challenges? Can you quickly adjust your plans when things don't go as expected?

Nijal: Response.

Tags! and TBC!

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Lt Jg Karen Trisha Stendhal
Counselor  
USS Octavia E Butler

ID: C239604KS0
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https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Karen_Stendhal