Cabin in the Woods is a complex tale about five American students who are spending the weekend at a remote log cabin.
Little do they know their holiday will turn into a fight for survival, as they battle everyone from evil scientists and zombies to underground monsters and bloodthirsty ancient gods.
Billed as a “sci-fi comedy horror”, the 2012 film had many unexpected twists and turns as the characters faced sudden threats. They had to adapt quickly to survive, while trying to overcome the fear that was paralysing their decision making.
In the aftermath of its release, debate has ensued about the hidden meanings behind the plot, with some critics claiming it’s a metaphor of the “business world”, which is a similar high stakes environment where surprises and risks are ever present.
Can the concept of Cabin in the Woods help with business strategies and solve unexpected challenges? We’re taking a look at how the characters’ interactions are a model for teamwork in the workplace, where shared decision making can help a team to survive threats such as unexpected market shifts, economic downturns and disruptive competitors.
Why teamwork is important in the workplace
Never underestimate the power of teamwork and collaboration. Throughout Cabin in the Woods, the characters quickly adapt to an ever changing scenario to learn how to survive.
While the film is primarily a subtle comedy, poking fun at the conventions of horror films, it actually has some good ideas, including the “lightbulb” moments when an impromptu brainstorming session inspires a viable plan.
When football player and athlete Curt (played by Chris Hemsworth) suggests they should all stick together while trapped at the cabin, it seems like a good idea. However, the scientists who are secretly controlling events at the cabin have other ideas, separating the unfortunate teens by a giant chasm.
Someone says, “What are we supposed to do, jump?” and the rather glib comment gives Curt a flash of inspiration. Hearing the word “jump” spurs him into grabbing a motorbike, before instantly forming a plan. He tells his friends he’ll escape from the house of horrors and return with the military to save them.
While the plan ultimately fails, this is the first sign that the students are starting to think strategically as a team. In real life, not every idea works, but the only way to move forward is by coming up with a workable plan.
Fear and decision making
The remote setting of the cabin is the kind of place where the visitors’ imagination can run wild from the outset, creating anxiety and fear before anything has actually happened. Fear plays a central role in the film and the plot shows how it can paralyse the characters’ decision making, which ultimately leads to chaos.
Fear can have a negative impact on decision making in several ways in the workplace, such as causing people to be more averse to risk. They might miss opportunities by avoiding high risk decisions or investments including building new markets or collaborating with new suppliers.
In the film, the scientists use mind controlling drugs to turn the students into archetypal horror film characters. Constantly living in fear as a result, they are trapped in the stereotypical “terrible place” of many horror films, where they feel mentally paralysed and unable to escape.
When they start trying to think rationally, the first person in the group to work out their experience is being staged and controlled is Dana, who collaborates with Marty to come up with a plan to defeat the sinister scientists behind the plot. Fear had stifled their progress and made escaping seem like an insurmountable hurdle, but by overcoming it, they began to think rationally again, making effective decisions to tackle their plight.
Surviving and thriving in the business world means you should expect the unexpected, adapt quickly, manage risks and work as a team. Overcoming fears and thinking rationally provides the best chance of realising business expectations.
How to deal with a conflict at work
This brings us to the next point: dealing with conflict at work. The characters in Cabin in the Woods are being controlled by the scientists, who aim to pick them off one by one to complete their deadly plan. This involves isolating them from each other – so, when Curt realises they should all stick together, the puppet masters devise means of dividing the group.
In the pressure cooker situation of the isolated cabin, it would be easy for things to unravel due to their different personalities, but this would have played into the scientists’ hands. Only when Dana and Marty realise the truth of their situation do they truly start working together as a team.
In the workplace, the scenario of individuals with different personalities and backgrounds struggling to gel as a team is a common one, but in order to succeed, we must embrace diversity. Equality in the workplace is an important factor and personal differences shouldn’t get in the way of the progress of the company as an entity.
A modern shared workspace gives everyone a voice in a collaborative environment, but if individuals are becoming divided, it’s important to nip any conflict in the bud. First, acknowledge the conflict to relieve the tension and help those involved to start working together towards a solution. Listen to both sides carefully to create a safe space where people feel they can speak honestly.
Don’t focus on personalities, focus on behaviour and events, identifying points of conflict and agreement. Prioritise the points of conflict and create an actionable plan to work and follow through on each point. Managing the conflict properly can help to minimise any negative consequences. Unfortunately for the characters in Cabin in the Woods, their realisation that working together succeeds comes very late in the film.
The students’ fears and anxieties have allowed the scientists to mould their personal and cultural identities in a negative way, proving that the old saying, “United we stand, divided we fall,” is oh so true.
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