10 Business Lessons From 'Battlestar Galactica'

PC World — You think your business has it rough? The people of Battlestar Galactica have lived through a recession you wouldn't believe. With dwindling resources, a skeleton crew, enemies constantly lurking out of view, and a pervasive threat of annihilation, Admiral Adama navigates the vast unknown. Like any leader, he makes his share of mistakes--sometimes with devastating consequences. But regardless of the fate of that ragtag fleet, the tale of Galactica is rife with lessons that can benefit any business leader.

1. Tech isn't always the answer.

In the premiere episode, the Cylons took out the entire human battle fleet by exploiting a weakness in the computer network. Only the Galactica survived, because its network was offline. The takeaway? Overdependence on technology can be your downfall.

2. Don't neglect training.

In episode 4 of season 1, an explosion on the hangar deck wiped out many of Galactica's top pilots, forcing Starbuck to begin training new pilots. Had Adama and company been training new talent all along, the fleet would have been prepared for such an emergency.

3. Some things can't be outsourced.

Pretty much every terrible event that befalls humanity in Galactica is the direct result of an overzealous push toward outsourcing human labor to robots. The business lesson here is clear: While outsourcing may save short-term costs, outsourcing the wrong jobs can ultimately destroy your business, the economy, or your species.

4. Update your antivirus.

In season 2, episode 9, a Cylon computer virus threatens to shut down the Galactica's defenses, vent the ship's atmosphere into space, and turn its guns on the civilian fleet. No enterprise is immune to viruses, and an infection can have disastrous consequences. Run your patches and updates, folks.

5. Democracy doesn't always work.

At the close of season 2, the weary civilian fleet votes to stop the search for Earth and settle on a verdant planet called New Caprica. But like so many decisions fueled by populist anxiety, this one proves disastrous, leaving humanity enslaved by the Cylon overlords. Good leaders listen to their people, then make their own decisions.

6. Some problems can't be killed.

During the Cylon occupation on New Caprica, Starbucks is imprisoned by Leoben Conoy, who toys with her mind. She kills him repeatedly, but he just keeps coming back. We're not sure what her alternatives might have been, but it's clear that her problem wasn't going away. Likewise, some problems simply must be accepted as reality; endlessly fighting them is a waste of energy and resources.

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