What if you could mentally separate the eight hours you spent at the office from your mind outside the office? Well, that’s a possible reality in Apple TV+’s “Severance.” Throughout the series’ two seasons, four characters who complete “data refining” begin to become curious about the peculiar purpose of their work and life on and off the severed floor. To uncover these mysteries, they must work together to discover the truth about their company, Lumon. Here are four important team cohesion concepts practiced in “Severance”:
SPOILER ALERT: The following describes plot details from the show.
1 – Increase Communication
According to a study conducted by SaleForce, 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. It was effective communication during the season one finale that ensured the Macrodata Refining team (Mark, Helly, Dylan and Irving) achieved their mission of activating the “overtime contingency protocol.” By banding together to plan all the exact steps required to activate the protocol, Mark, Helly and Irving were able to uncover the truth about their outie’s existence and discover Mark’s wife was still alive.
2 – Set SMART Goals
After finding out that Mark’s wife, Gemma, didn’t pass away from a car crash and was instead abducted by Lumon, the MDR team developed SMART goals to save Gemma. SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) goals drive success towards accomplishing a mission or vision. In the season two finale, the MDR team’s end goal to retrieve Gemma is managed by identifying the location of Gemma, plotting a distraction, and extracting her before Lumon realizes she’s been rescued. Think smarter not harder.
3 – Address Siloed Thinking
A pivotal moment where the MDR team discovers a key revelation behind Lumon’s true intentions is when Irving begins to suspect that Helly isn’t in her innie form while on the severed floor. Despite his team members dismissing his suspicions, Irving maintains his stance and avoids siloed thinking. According to Forbes, siloed thinking can hinder the collaboration and the flow of information within teams. Although Irving’s resistance to siloed thinking caused friction against his team members’ existing beliefs, it ultimately strengthened their resolve to reach their end goal.
4 – Encourage Team Building
Despite the unorthodox and corrupt nature of Lumon’s business practices, the focus on team building activities serves as an unintentional cohesive force for the MDR team. Throughout the series, Lumon provides obscure activities for the team to participate in. The MDR team ironically uses these activities to thwart Lumon’s mysterious greater purpose. For example, the “Outdoor Retreat Team Building Occurrence” field trip uncovered Helly’s true identity, and the Waffle Party provided Dylan an opportunity to gain access to the control room.
Based on research conducted by Podium, team building activities can build empathy and respect that’s needed for a team to function. Despite Lumon’s efforts to control the precise details of these activities, it had the reverse effect and created an almost unbreakable bond amongst the MDR team.
As cubicle culture makes a return, team cohesion is an office commodity that severance just can’t buy.
Ryan is a Public Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He has over 10 years of federal service with a B.S in Marketing from George Mason University and an M.A. in Communications from Johns Hopkins University. Ryan lives in Arlington, Va., enjoys running, traveling and being a plant dad.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.