Learn the 6 hires you need on your team to survive a future apocalypse – and one that you don’t.

Talent Strategy. With Zombies – a DisruptHR talk by Nicholas R. Larche, Esq. – Human Resources Manager & Corporate Counsel of ShopAtHome.com

DisruptHR Cleveland 4 – February 4, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio #DisruptHRCle

This presentation is rated Z. Viewer discretion is advised.

The key to survival in business is to build an elite team. Each member of the team should bring something to the table that the other does not.

The Leader
Leadership requires resolve, action, and the ability to inspire. A leader must be strategic, and earns his position and the respect of his team. A leader is equipped to deal with the stress of management, and he’s looked to when action is needed, and tough decisions need to be made.

The Soldier
If you’re going to survive the apocalypse, you’re going to need a dash of crazy on your team. Someone who is more than slightly, but less than completely unhinged. That’s where the soldier comes in. The soldier lives to execute – both tasks and flesh eaters – and he does it with a smile. Because that’s his reason for being, you won’t find anyone who will do it more creatively.

The Maven
Given the volatility you’ll face in the apocalypse, you’re going to need a master of weaponry – a true harbinger of death for any zombie or thug that has the great misfortune of crossing her path. The Maven masters with haste. She’s agile and adapts with ease. If you’re in a tough spot, the Maven can quickly and quietly execute until your team reaches safety.

The Medic
A skilled medic can help fill in the gaps for all of the issues your team will face, and might just be the reason for your survival.

The Brain
Brawn and badassery are great, but you’re going to need smarts to survive. The Brain might not be the most skilled fighter, but he’s resourceful. He’s skilled in logistics. He can help the leader solve problems, and he can serve as a mentor to the rest of the team without posing too much of a threat to authority.

The Mascot
There’s never been an apocalypse that was easy. There’s a reason they call it work. You have to scrounge for food and for shelter while fending off zombie after zombie. It’s enough to really hurt morale. Mascots are uniquely able to diffuse tension with laughter, and they can remind the team of what they’re fighting for. The zombie apocalypse can really get you down, but the right Mascot can get you and your team back up.

The Sacrifice
This is a bad hire. The longer her sticks around, the more likely you and your team will die. The Sacrifice will give up something no one else on your team will – their life. And when they call it quits, or more likely, you fire them – it will demonstrate the value of that life. A job, a steady paycheck.

In the apocalypse, there will be times when you’re out of food, ammo, or luck, and during those times it will be all to easy to throw another member to the masses. Don’t. Fight that impulse with every fiber of your being. Why? Because this is the apocalypse, and you’re only as strong as your team.