How to manage workplace chaos: Life lessons from ‘The Witcher’

Geralt and Ciri develop a beautiful, functional mentor-mentee relationship throughout the course of the series. Photo: Collected

Video games are a great source of entertainment, though sometimes they are blamed for their addictive element and dopamine-inducing nature. But there are always deep life lessons ingrained in the games, which often require high-level strategic planning to win.

"The Witcher" is a popular video game, created by CD Projekt Red, taking storylines and influence from the book series by Andrzej Sapkowski. However, "The Witcher" gained more recognition outside of avid fantasy book readers and video gamers when Netflix developed the show back in 2019. 

The protagonist Geralt of Rivia, played by Henry Cavill, is a monster hunter with enhanced physical abilities and resilience that make him well-suited to fight dangerous creatures. However, Geralt's abilities come at a cost, because intense training and mutations have left him emotionally detached and physically scarred. 

He has learned to endure pain and suffering as a necessary part of his profession and has accepted his fate as a Witcher. As Geralt keeps moving forward with the show tackling challenging situations, we learn important life lessons from Geralt's lifestyle, which we can apply to our chaotic workplace and make it more bearable.

Mentors play an important role in our career

The first season of "The Witcher" told the story of how Geralt comes to meet Ciri. Geralt, as a Witcher, is connected to Ciri through fate, and he takes his role as a surrogate parent seriously enough to teach her survival and life skills. They develop a beautiful, functional mentor-mentee relationship throughout the course of the series. 

Mentors are extremely important for our careers as they can kickstart our professional development. With the support of a mentor, mentees can stay focused on their careers, gain confidence, attain goals and expand their networks. 

You do not have to choose a side

In season one, Stregabor gave a lengthy speech to convince Geralt to kill Renfri, an alleged humanoid monster who seems responsible for many people's misfortune. When Stregabor pushes Geralt to kill Renfri and tries to convince him that killing her would be choosing the lesser of two evils, Geralt says, "I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, I prefer not to choose at all." 

At the workplace, there can be unfair pressure to choose a side to avoid collusion or unnecessary stress. It is important to have a good working relationship with everyone. But it is also important to remember that it should not come at the cost of your moral values and sanity. 

You do not always need to get involved and talk

"Hmm." This one word defines much of Geralt's ethics in an easy-to-repeat mini-monologue. At work, many difficult circumstances may arise when someone pushes you to get involved and talk behind someone's back. 

It is essential to remember that everything in life is a choice. Uninvolved people also make choices based on their priorities. 

If something at work does not require your involvement but you feel the pressure to participate, ask yourself why your presence is being dragged without any set objectives. 

Sometimes not investing yourself in other people's drama is another workplace survival tactic that you can learn from the Witcher.

You can always ask for help

Geralt is a mighty Witcher, but then he meets his match in Yennefer, a mage with incredible power. Geralt and Yennefer rely on each other as support systems and always seek help based on their own strengths and weaknesses. 

There are people out there who might be better at a certain task than you through practice, experience, or talent. There should be no shame in asking for knowledge or guidance from each other. It is absolutely alright to ask for help when required at your workplace. 

You cannot judge someone based on their appearance

Geralt has the ability to see past the surface and appreciate what lies beneath. 

In the first season, Ciri's grandmother, the great Queen Calanthe, invites Geralt to sit at her table. During the banquet, a man with a hedgehog-like appearance shows up to ask for Calanthe's daughter's hand in marriage. Geralt then points out to Calanthe that the man is clearly cursed.

In many difficult situations, Geralt takes informative decisions rather than solely focusing on what appears before him. At workspace, we sometimes end up judging others based on their appearance. However, we should not jump to conclusions but rather try to see past mere appearances and make informative decisions like Geralt. 

You can always have empathy for 'monsters'

Despite being a killer, Geralt is a deeply empathetic character. He tries to understand the pain of others and is often kind to monsters. 

Even if someone is being unkind to you at work, you can always show kindness. Empathy will help you understand what the unkind person is going through in their own life and help you figure out a solution. 

As Geralt says, "There is no black and white, only shades of gray." Sometimes there are deep complicated issues happening in your coworkers' lives, which you can support to heal and create a more sustainable workplace. 

You should always have a positive influencer in your life

Jaskier is a bard who always sings and laughs around Geralt, making the situation lighter for him. The Bard is loud and annoying at times, but his relationship with Geralt works out because nobody sings the songs of Geralt's many exploits like Jaskier. 

Initially, Geralt is hated by most. But Jaskier works as his positive ambassador. His songs about Geralt eventually warm some people up to Geralt. 

In our workplace, we all need a Jaskier who will be our support system during difficult times. Having even one person with a positive attitude toward you can help you survive a chaotic workplace.

They can also help you remember that workplaces are like quests. There will always be one quest after another with a newer set of challenges. We might as well enjoy the ride and look out for a new adventure. 

Raisa Adiba is a development worker who enjoys writing as a hobby, among many other things.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.