Got Gump(tion)

I was intrigued when I saw this Businessweek article referenced on a Facebook post titled "The Kinds of Employees You Want to Hire: Those who are innately confident and self-directed routinely outperform co-workers, regardless of their backgrounds." But after reading the following supporting opening statement, I was annoyed with the analogy: "There are two kinds of employees. Some believe they can make things happen, and the others believe that things happen to them. The first group believes that the outcome of their life and career is more or less in their own hands, and they wouldn't have it any other way. The other group takes more of a Forrest Gump approach: They sit around and wait for a bus to take them somewhere." 
I understand the attempt to compare the 'other' group to Forrest Gump sitting around waiting for something to happen to him but it was misplaced and in my opinion a "Forrest Gump approach" actually supports the 'first' group. Here's my point of view...

(Movie Version) Forrest Gump overcame a physical handicap, was productive and achieved recognition in several capacities of his life despite a lower than average IQ: he receives a college scholarship, serves in the military, learns he is a natural ping pong bad-ass, becomes a business owner in the shrimp industry and allows a business partner to invest the profits in a computer software manufacturer that financially secures him for life. Forrest then develops a unique relationship with a life long female friend, Jenny, but she leaves him, turning down his request of marriage. However, he finally returns to the bus stop to wait for Jenny after receiving a letter from her requesting to see him. She arrives with their son whom Forrest raises due to Jenny's passing. 

So to me, Forrest Gump is far from someone that just sits around and waits for life to happen. Something innately drove him to be in each situation in his life. He wasn't sitting at the bus stop waiting for it to take him anywhere or to bring something to him but rather someone...his son. And isn't his simile that life is like a box of chocolates meaning you never know what you're going to get the epitome of accepting challenge and making things happen rather than letting them sit in the box because you aren't willing to see what will be inside?

(In the novel he was an astronaut, professional wrestler and a chess player).

In addition to this disagreement, I also think over zealous employees can sometimes cause more disrupt when their performance is misplaced. The scale for measuring 'productivity and performance' is subjective...but I'll save my thoughts about that for another blog :-)