The Stakes Are High, Even Without Zombies

The Stakes Are High, Even Without Zombies

I really enjoyed the recent Walking Dead spinoff series, The Ones Who Live, featuring the long-awaited reunion of main characters Rick and Michonne.

It made me reflect on the very beginning of AMC’s 11-season flagship series when Rick, a Georgia sheriff’s deputy, wakes up in a hospital to a horrifying, surreal atmosphere. The building is deserted with the exception of numerous “walkers,” re-animated corpses that mindlessly and aggressively attempt to devour whatever flesh they come across.

When managing change becomes life-or-death

Rick manages to escape from the hospital and makes his way to a desolate neighborhood, where he befriends a man and his young son who tell him about the zombie apocalypse that broke out while Rick was comatose from a shooting incident. Hoping to find his wife and his own young son, Rick then travels to a zombie-infested Atlanta, where he fights off a multitude of walkers and joins forces with a gang of fellow survivors, gradually becoming the group’s leader.

The Walking Dead franchise is many things at once. It’s a deep dive into how the best and worst of human nature can arise in the midst of catastrophe. It’s a horror story that originated in an ongoing series of graphic novels. And it’s a profile of how a small community of individuals navigates change under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable.

Rick and his friends have been forced to flee from their homes. They have to scavenge for food, shelter, clothing, medicine, and so forth. There’s no reliable technology such as cell phones, electricity, or running water. And there’s that whole matter of the flesh-eating walkers and various bad guys such as Negan and his beloved baseball bat, “Lucille.”

Non-apocalypse tips for communications and public relations professionals

While you will likely not have to manage a zombie apocalypse, there are many ways you can add value in the context of ongoing change and uncertainty. Here’s three to consider:

  • Honesty and Transparency: Always prioritize honest communication. Acknowledge impermanence and share information openly. When people understand the reality, they can adjust their expectations accordingly.
  • Set Realistic Expectations: Be clear about what is feasible and what isn’t. Avoid overpromising or creating false hopes. Realistic expectations prevent disappointment and foster trust.
  • Educate Stakeholders: Help businesses and individuals understand the nature of impermanence. Explain that change is inevitable and that adaptation is essential for growth and resilience.

Let's connect

I'm an ICF-certified coach who equips creative, innovative professionals in small-to-midsize organizations to develop their authentic human leadership capabilities in the age of AI. DM here on LinkedIn to schedule a call or learn more.

Regina Taute, ACC

Your Talent Management Partner and Coach | Developer of growth-focused leaders enabling wildly practical solutions | Podcast host

10mo

Cute! But I’ve said from the beginning…if Darrell dies, I’m done.

To view or add a comment, sign in

More articles by John M. DeMarco, PCC, PHR, M.Div., LLC

  • The Enduring Relevance of the Humanities

    The Enduring Relevance of the Humanities

    A few years ago I re-purchased my favorite Humanities textbooks from my undergraduate years: The Search for Personal…

  • Thriving Amidst Impermanence: Lessons for Healthcare Professionals

    Thriving Amidst Impermanence: Lessons for Healthcare Professionals

    In the final scene of the movie The Last Samurai, Katsumoto, the last leader of the samurai rebellion, accepts his…

  • Cross-Industry Climate Intelligence Possibilities

    Cross-Industry Climate Intelligence Possibilities

    In his novel Exit West, Mohsin Hamid captures the mindset of college students living in an unnamed city being torn…

  • AI + MORE Openness to Coaching

    AI + MORE Openness to Coaching

    My brother Frank had a favorite restaurant in Seattle called Pasta Freska, which closed a few years ago when the owner…

  • AI + Less Openness to Coaching

    AI + Less Openness to Coaching

    When I was in high school, I loved the book The Catcher in the Rye so much that I wrote an English class research paper…

  • When AI Meets Design Thinking

    When AI Meets Design Thinking

    My professional work has never just been a "job." It's my launching pad for transforming the world around me.

  • Openness to Coaching: A Framework to Consider

    Openness to Coaching: A Framework to Consider

    Last fall, I was fortunate enough to visit Barcelona, Spain. After I returned, reflecting on the gorgeous diversity of…

  • Solving “Wicked Problems” (like AI)

    Solving “Wicked Problems” (like AI)

    While watching the Super Bowl the other night, I was pleased to see a commercial for an upcoming film version of the…

  • "Authentic Human Leadership"

    "Authentic Human Leadership"

    The most powerful memory I have of our country being focused and united on one big thing is the complete solar eclipse…

    6 Comments
  • You Might Stink (So Ask for Feedback)

    You Might Stink (So Ask for Feedback)

    I sweat a lot when I work out. Like, more than anybody I know.

    1 Comment

Insights from the community

Others also viewed

Explore topics