Can the series Squid Game (perhaps, maybe) teach IT leadership lessons?

3 years ago 254

Netflix's wildly fashionable amusement is simply a macabre whirlwind, but it besides provides a glimpse into the value of teamwork and wherefore taking work for others' wellbeing matters.

An representation of Squid Game being shown connected a computer

Squid Game—Netflix's precocious released, dystopian-tinged show—is a batch of things: among them, a snapshot of the grotesque broadside of modern life, a critique of however economical hardships tin thrust individuals to shun morals and 1 that displays a script wherever the kid's crippled reddish light, greenish airy could beryllium perchance morbidly deployed erstwhile mask-wearing, illuminati-type figures are astatine the helm (and if you haven't seen the series, the second notation volition marque sense—disturbingly so—after the archetypal episode).

It is, successful different words, acheronian worldly successful a batch of ways—and yet, these themes, its communicative arc and crippled twists wrong the amusement person resonated with viewers connected a wide scale.

Released connected Sept. 17 of this twelvemonth (and created by writer-director Hwang Dong-hyuk), it's present the astir fashionable amusement ever for the streaming service, according to its ain admission. (Earlier this period Netflix claimed connected Twitter that the bid had already reached 111 cardinal viewers.)

Without delving into spoilers: The basal premise is this. The nine-episode series—based successful South Korea—tracks however a shady, concealed nine lures 456 down-on-their-luck individuals (or "players," arsenic they statesman to beryllium called) to a distant land to enactment successful six competitions, with the extremity end and committedness being a payout of billions successful South Korean currency—or astir $38 cardinal USD—if idiosyncratic completes each the challenges.

SEE: You decidedly don't privation to play: Squid Game-themed malware is here (TechRepublic)

The concern that unfolds is often an abhorrent affair. But it's besides a enactment of satire and a postmodern morality communicative and arsenic such, does constituent to teachable ideas (even ones IT leaders and workers tin consider). Specifically, an underlying taxable is an value of being liable for different radical and wherefore teamwork matters.

In a caller New York Times Q&A , the series' lead, Lee Jung-jae (who plays the quality Seong Gi-hun—otherwise known arsenic subordinate 456), contends beneath each the disturbing matters that tally done Squid Game, the underlying connection is 1 that speaks astir the request for altruism.

As TechRepublic antecedently reported, IT leaders had to displacement priorities and instrumentality connected caller challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. One conception that emerged from the reporting was that IT professionals needed to accommodate with the circumstances and spearhead helping others win (which, successful a batch of ways, emerges arsenic a mantra for the protagonist Gi-hun successful Squid Game).

"Outside of the mean day-to-day tasks, IT leaders are besides being tasked with higher levels of collaboration and knowing different departments that they wouldn't traditionally beryllium progressive with," said Liz Beavers, caput geek for the IT absorption bundle institution SolarWinds. Likewise, successful a batch of ways—weirdly—the players of the bid (the ones who outlast others), larn to equilibrium their regular routines portion besides knowing the value of moving with others—and knowing those not needfully successful your wheelhouse is amended for everyone involved.

What's more, the amusement embraces the conception of nuance—which is simply a conception TechRepublic besides precocious covered. Specifically, the thought is that endeavor IT leaders shouldn't get confined to acceptable ways of doing things and should alternatively absorption connected the peculiar needs of some employees and clients.

"Some of the champion leaders are chameleons of sorts," wrote contributing writer Patrick Gray. He said that bully leaders could alteration enactment styles "just arsenic the lizard subtly changes its colors based connected the environment."

And that becomes the lawsuit successful the show. In a precocious occurrence of Squid Game, participants partake successful a lethal crippled of tug-of-war, wherever they are forced to take 10 teammates for the high-stakes engagement (one wherever they are chained to the rope). Jung-jae ends up assembling a squad with those helium trusts but besides a radical that is physically outmatched. And yet, Jung-jae's troupe—by moving together—prevail via reasoning extracurricular the container and trusting 1 another)—all attributes that tin marque for a sound, smooth-running concern with co-workers successful the tech world.

With each that said, though, TechRepublic does not recommend—endorse, advocate, etc.—playing endurance games successful the workplace oregon anyplace other for that matter.