Work lessons from “The Walking Dead”

I have started watching “The Walking Dead” again on television. I was thinking about the life and society lessons that can be learned from the show, and especially work. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. Survival requires teamwork: The characters in The Walking Dead quickly learn that they cannot survive on their own. They must rely on each other’s skills and strengths in order to stay alive.

• Work also requires teamwork in most jobs to do well. A well oiled team can accomplish so much in the work place. Even more important, but we have to acknowledge that the team takes time to build. It was not overnight that the cast/characters learned to work together so well.

2. Resource management is crucial: Food, water, shelter, and other resources are scarce in a post-apocalyptic world. The characters in The Walking Dead learn that they must manage these resources carefully in order to survive.

• The time you spend at work is the biggest resource management aspect of your career. Being able to balance everything in life and be successful at work is hard. Further, employees are a resource. Learning to manage them is a life long task.

3. Trust is hard to earn: In a world where anyone could be a threat, it’s difficult to know who to trust. The characters in The Walking Dead learn that trust must be earned over time.

• Having someone you can trust at work is huge. Really having those relationships is so important.

4. Violence begets violence: The characters in The Walking Dead frequently encounter situations where violence seems like the only solution. However, they soon learn that violence often leads to more violence and that there are other ways to resolve conflicts.

• I equate this one with backstabbing or drama. It makes everything else worse.

5. Humanity can survive even in the darkest times: Despite the horrific circumstances of the zombie apocalypse, the characters in The Walking Dead demonstrate that humanity can still exist. They show compassion, love, and sacrifice, even in the darkest of times.

• this is a huge life lesson for everyone. We are all humans.