Lord of the Flies and the Modern Workplace: A Reflection on Human Behaviour, Leadership and Accountability
Culture is what you tolerate, not what you publish.
I recently finished watching the BBC adaptation of Lord of the Flies, and it left me thinking about something much bigger than the story itself: human behaviour.
What happens when power becomes more important than purpose? When the desire to belong outweighs individual judgment? When fear, ego, influence and self-preservation begin to shape the choices people make?
It made me think about the modern workplace.
We might not be stranded on an island, but the behaviours explored in this story are not as far removed from organizational life as we might like to believe.
“Maybe there is a beast… maybe it's only us.” - William Golding, Lord of the Flies
Perhaps that is the most uncomfortable part of the story. The behaviours we are quick to criticize in others can also exist within ourselves. When power, fear and ego take precedence over empathy, judgment and accountability, we have to ask what role we are playing in the culture around us.
We publish values, establish expectations, introduce leadership competencies and create policies intended to guide how people work together. But culture isn't simply what an organization says it believes. It is what people experience, observe and ultimately come to accept.
And sometimes, what we tolerate tells a very different story.
Power doesn't automatically make someone a leader.
In the workplace, we sometimes confuse authority with leadership. A title, position or seat at the leadership table does not automatically earn respect.
True leadership is revealed in how we use power. Do we create opportunities for others to contribute, or control the conversation? Do we bring people together, or create divisions? Do we empower others, or make them dependent on our approval?
Leadership isn't about having the loudest voice. It's about understanding the responsibility that comes with having one.
Fear can be more influential than respect.
People notice how leaders react to disagreement, mistakes and uncomfortable conversations.
When challenging a decision comes with consequences, when speaking up creates personal risk, or when keeping your head down feels like the safest option, something fundamental has broken down.
You might achieve compliance, but you haven't earned commitment.
Healthy workplaces allow people to disagree without becoming adversaries. Different perspectives should be welcomed, not treated as threats.
The desire to belong can compromise our values.
Human beings want connection, acceptance and a sense of belonging. But what happens when belonging comes with conditions?
Workplace alliances, inner circles, favouritism, exclusion and groupthink can quietly influence decisions and relationships. People may go along with behaviour they know is wrong because challenging it could mean losing access, influence or acceptance.
Inclusion cannot simply mean being welcomed into the group. It must also mean being able to challenge an assumption, offer a different perspective and disagree without fear of exclusion.
When discretion disappears, trust follows.
Discretion is one of the most underrated qualities of leadership and professional maturity.
It isn't about hiding information or avoiding difficult conversations. It's about exercising sound judgment. Understanding what should be shared, with whom, when and how.
Confidential conversations becoming office discussions, private disagreements turning into public divisions, and information being shared without considering its impact can quickly erode trust.
Leadership requires knowing the difference between transparency and indiscretion, openness and oversharing, accountability and public humiliation.
Having access to information doesn't give us permission to share it. Having an opinion doesn't mean it needs an audience. And having influence doesn't mean we should use it carelessly.
Just because you can say something, share something or do something doesn't mean you should.
Silence is also a choice.
Unhealthy workplace behaviours rarely exist in isolation. They continue because people witness them and say nothing, leaders look the other way, or protecting relationships and reputations becomes more important than doing what is right.
Not everyone who remains silent agrees with what is happening. Sometimes people are afraid or uncertain about the consequences of speaking up.
But silence can create the conditions in which unacceptable behaviour becomes normal.
We need to ask ourselves: What do we challenge? What do we excuse? And when does staying comfortable become more important than doing what is right?
Character is revealed when accountability is tested.
It is relatively easy to demonstrate integrity, kindness, respect and humility when everything is going your way.
The real test comes when you don't get the promotion, someone challenges your authority, a colleague disagrees with you or you have to accept responsibility for a mistake.
Do you take ownership or deflect blame? Do you listen or become defensive? Do you acknowledge someone else's contribution or take credit?
These moments tell us far more about someone's leadership and character than any job title or carefully crafted professional profile ever could.
Accountability starts with the willingness to recognize our own behaviour, acknowledge our impact and take responsibility for our choices.
“We did everything adults would do. What went wrong?” - William Golding, Lord of the Flies
It is a question that extends well beyond the story. Organizations can have leadership structures, policies, procedures and clearly articulated values, yet still fail when the people responsible for upholding them don't demonstrate the judgment, integrity and accountability those structures were designed to support.
Having the right framework is one thing. Having the courage and commitment to live by it is another.
Ultimately, we all contribute to the culture we work in.
