It's amazing how a show about zombies and a movie about a maze can highlight and remind us of an important business lesson about complacency.
I recently had the opportunity to watch the last two episodes of season 5 of the Walking Dead (finally) and happen to catch the movie Maze Runner. Both reminded me that "inside isn't always best"
In the Walking Dead "Try" episode, the main protagonist group, led by former sheriff Rick Grimes, starts to realize that their new found protected community is not all it's cracked up to be. Some of the existing residents are a little nutty, and there is a growing concern among Rick's group that being inside these new walls will "make them soft".
A similar thread runs (no pun intended) through Maze Runner. The lead protagonist, Thomas, upon finding himself inside the Maze, implores his fellow Maze residents that they are "meant to leave" and goes about discovering a way out.
In both situations, the "outside" was/is the riskier proposition; but it was also the one that would keep or make them sharper. For Rick and his group, the land beyond the fences is filled with zombies and other less-than-kind groups. It is a world that forces them to grow new skills and think dynamically. For Thomas and his group, the world beyond the Maze walls are completely unknown. They also know that staying will lead to certain death.
The lesson -- staying in one place might be great for regrouping, but it may not be great to stay in place for too long. At the individual level, make sure you're not getting too complacent being with one manager or employer too long. Think about moving roles or even employers. If you're a manager, what are you doing to keep your team "outside the walls of comfort"?
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