I’ve watched a lot of horror movies over the years. And yes, most of them are pretty lousy. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn from them. I actually think they provide a lot of helpful information about how to succeed in the workplace!

Here’s just a sampling of what I’ve learned:

  • Pay attention to your intuition – Do you feel like something is going amiss on a project that you’re working on? Or do you feel like you really shouldn’t go into the basement of that creepy, abandoned cabin in the woods? Well, you should trust those feelings! If your intuition is telling you that something isn’t quite right, don’t ignore it. Do some investigating and adjust your course of action, if necessary.
  • When something goes wrong, don’t panic – If a client suddenly changes a deadline, or if your plan to defeat a vengeful ghost goes awry, try to stay calm. Panicking often causes people to make bad decisions. When something goes wrong, it’s best if you can tackle the issue calmly and rationally.
  • Hone your problem-solving skills – Who survives and thrives in tense situations? It’s the people who are good at solving problems! In order to be successful, you need to be able to adapt rapidly to change, exercise good judgment, and solve problems creatively and competently.
  • Work as a team – If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from horror movies, it’s that you and your friends/coworkers should stick together. You’re much more skilled, competent, and effective when you combine your talents and work as a cohesive team. Successful teams are empowering and productive. They make any task seem like it can be easily managed.
  • Think critically – When you’re presented with a complex, ambiguous problem, think things through carefully. After all, you don’t want to be the kind of person who pokes at a strange alien creature without even putting on a protective suit! (Things never go well for those kinds of people.) Take the time to gather, interpret, and evaluate information, and use it to make effective decisions.

Good luck! And if you have any additional horror movie-related tips, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below!