6 Career Lessons from the Walking Dead to Sink Your Teeth into

6 Career Lessons from the Walking Dead to Sink Your Teeth into Now Im not suggesting you lure your enemies into a swarm of zombies if you have a disagreementbut there are a few lessons that you can learn about dealing with conflict,  building relationships and working in a team from the Walking Dead (if you look very closely.) Here are some of the top career lessons that Ive taken from Rick Grimes and co. 1) Its  better to work together, not against each other Youll never get anything achieved as a team if you dont cooperate and work together. Even if you feel like you have a clash of personalities, sometimes bringing different qualities and view points to a project can result in the best ideas and youll get things done much more efficiently. The Walking Dead demonstrates that there is strength in numbers and youre much less likely to get bitten by a zombie if you stick together!  Merle is just one example of someone who learnt the hard way, that going alone is more foolish than brave when he met a rather violent death in the hands of a rival! 2)  If you dont agree with the way things are being done, speak up Im not suggesting you scream all the reasons you disagree with someone in their face (or throw them to the zombies), but if youre not happy about the way something is being done, its better to be open than to let it stew or allow things to become sour between you both (though Rick is probably going to knock you back anyway.) In business, if you have a concern about the processes in place or your current workload arrange a meeting with your manager to discuss the issues. Be mature and reasonable about it and hopefully you can come to an arrangement. 3)  Be a leader The key to a strong team is a good leader, so why not throw yourself in and  become that person? Rick immediately took  on the role of leader of the group when things went pear shape and has put it upon himself to lead them to safety since the beginning of the outbreak. Though hes had a few wobbles, which is understandable considering the circumstances, hes remained strong and  smart in guiding the group and deciding the best course of action when times get tough. Though the idea of leadership can be a daunting one, it is a responsibility that often comes with career progression and can lead to more influence and status in the company. Plus watching your team succeed can be very rewarding! 4) Be decisive Youre going to have to make a lot of important  decisions in your working life that have potential to determine the path your career takes, so its important that you are able to stand strong in your decisions. Ignoring an issue doesnt make it disappear  unfortunately, so options and risks  have to be weighed up before the matter becomes a  problem. This is especially important if you are in a management role and it could effect other staff or the running of the business. Though a lot of the decisions the characters in the Walking Dead have to face are a little more life or death than the average persons, it proves that quick thinking is often essential. At times Rick has had to make the decision to leave someone behind in order to save the group, which is not an easy decision to be made, but someone had to do it! 5) Its not what you know, its who you know In the Walking Dead the key to survival is building strong relationships and trust with others, who will have your back in tough times. In the professional world its  equally about  who you know, as career success often comes from networking and building relationships with people who may be able to provide you with job opportunities, business prospects, etc. Moral of the story = Be nice to people and put the effort in! 6) Learn from your mistakes How many times have Rick and the gang had to battle a hoard of zombies? Too many if you ask me! But what they have done, is learnt from their previous mistakes. It took them long enough and a fair few encounters to discover  that dark spaces probably arent safe places and zombies dont die from a punch in the face, but they finally seem to have constructed a safe compound away from the zombies. For now. This lesson can be adopted in your career. Things arent always going to go to plan and mistakes happen, but its how you handle them and learn from them in the future that matters.