GameFrame: Workaholic Martyrdom Lessons in the Video Game God of War
“A Spartan never lets his back hit the ground!” -Kratos
We are long past the age of Greek mythology, and yet we see professionals sacrificing themselves in the workplace. In this GameFrame, we look at the video game God of War, released in 2005 for PlayStation 2. God of War is a great example of how an aesthetic narrative conveys powerful messages wrapped in artistic symbols.
GameFrame concept captures key insights from video game narratives, a seemingly forgotten treasure trove of management knowledge (see our GameFrame on lessons about perseverance from the video game Medievil or on lessons about managing fear from the video game Silent Hill).
Video games are a good example of how effective aesthetic storytelling are in conveying complex ideas in a simple way that evokes emotions and reactions. In an increasingly complex and dissonant world, managers can benefit from learning how to use these principles to engage people emotionally, which can energise and mobilise them or reduce anxiety in the workplace.
Are you ready to wield the “Blades of Chaos” in the endless cycle of work enthusiasm and burnout like Kratos in the video game “God of War”?
The Story of Kratos the Spartan…
Kratos was a Spartan dedicated to his craft, a skilled warrior who rose to command the troops.
Despite his training and seniority, Kratos was in some ways a micromanager who always wanted to achieve the best and become the greatest warrior of them all.
He devoted every second of his day to his work, neglecting himself and his family. In a sense, he was the embodiment of war, and the more he excelled in battle, the greater his self-confidence grew. But with it, his arrogance also grew.
Until one day Kratos decided to attack an entire army of barbarians with his small battalion, confident that they would emerge victorious. The Spartan army was greatly outnumbered, and Kratos soon found himself on his knees at the mercy of the barbarian general Alrik.
Seeing Alrik’s mighty hammer approaching his skull, Kratos invoked Ares, son of Zeus and the Greek god of war. He asked for victory in this duel, for which he would be indebted to Ares for the rest of his life. Victory in war was the only thing that mattered to Kratos. The army of the barbarians was massacred on the spot and Kratos was spared.
Asking favors from those in power results in divine indebtedness.
Asking a favor of someone who has power is a double-edged sword. It can bring great benefits, but it also shows the fragility of one’s ability to act and the possible consequences of being dependent on the whims of others. True to his power-obsessed and chaotic nature, Ares decided to punish Kratos.
Rather than opting for an obvious punishment, Ares punished Kratos by giving him what he wanted most: unending victories in war for all eternity. Ares transformed Kratos into his angel of death, wreaking havoc wherever he pointed. As Kratos became a demigod, he was indebted for eternity, vulnerable only to the blow of a god.
The final part of his punishment were the “Blades of Chaos,” mythical weapons chained to Kratos’ bones that ensured he felt punished for every blow he struck.
Endless ambition and dedication made his freedom an illusion.
There are more similarities between the modern workplace and Greek tragedies than we might like to admit.
The adventure of Kratos resembles the life of a workaholic manager. Both driven by a single-minded pursuit of their goals and need for validation and control. Kratos is consumed by his desire for triumph, and similarly, a workaholic manager can be consumed by their desire for success and power.
Both can neglect their own well-being and that of their fellow colleague in the pursuit of their goals, and both can harm themselves and others in the process. Kratos consumes himself in his work, and his sacrifice for a greater cause is respected by the other Spartans, who are also willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause.
In the modern workplace, the phenomenon of martyrdom refers to the tendency of individuals to sacrifice their personal well-being and work excessively to meet the demands of their jobs, often to the detriment of their mental and physical health.
In some ways, 12-hour work days have become the expected minimum for someone who is new to the company and needs to prove their worth. People brag about sleeping less. A burnout episode seems almost a rite of passage, respected by colleagues who have suffered the same fate.
Toxic cultures in the modern workplace tend to promote “family” values that prioritize productivity over well-being, leading to employee burnout and emotional exhaustion.
Management implicitly promotes a culture of overwork through practices such as constant connectivity, unrealistic deadlines and expectations, and a lack of work-life balance that instead promotes “work-life integration.”
Work-life integration can lead to employees feeling pressured to work excessively, which risks making them behave like workaholics or scaring off balanced people.
The Story of Kratos Continues…
Our seemingly selfless, ambitious protagonist became the weapon of choice for the god of war. Ares took aim and Kratos slaughtered.
From rival armies to Greek infidels, Kratos wielded his blades of chaos without remorse. He enjoyed the feeling of being immortal in the body of a mortal and felt he had accomplished his task, blinding his warrior code and moral compass.
Until one day, Ares decided to play a third trick on Kratos, forcing him to completely wipe out an apparently heretical village of infidels. In retrospect, it turned out that it was actually Kratos’ own village, where his wife and daughter lived and worshiped Ares as did the other villagers. The sudden realization of the irreparable consequences of his actions opened Kratos’ eyes.
He continuously relived the nightmare of murdering his family and wanted reparation for his sins. He wanted to change back to the life he knew, but transformation is a continuous and irreversible process. Newly changed surroundings need to be made sense of before thriving in them. His patroness Athena offered him the chance to redeem himself by stopping Ares’ ongoing rampage. Anger became his most important emotion, since he had nothing left to lose.
How does workaholism turn into anger?
Kratos’ path of destruction strongly resembles workaholic behavior that results in self-destruction. Workaholic behavior is characterized by an excessive focus on work to the point of interfering with a person’s personal and social life.
This can be distinguished from healthy ambition, which is driven by a desire to achieve goals and improve oneself, but also allows for balance and self-care.
Putting a company above oneself makes one too emotionally invested. Identification with the group seems to supersede the personal identity of the individual, and you embody the saying “There is no I in team” Sacrificing your own interests for the good of the group thus becomes a noble cause.
And as the saying goes, the best thing you can do for a martyr is to give him a sword to fall on.
Sacrificing oneself for one’s career can be disguised as a commitment to the workplace, as individuals may believe that they must devote all of their time and energy to their work in order to be successful.
Kratos sacrifices everything, including his family and his own well-being, to satisfy his martial ambition. Similarly, people in the workplace may sacrifice their own well-being and relationships in order to succeed, believing that this level of dedication is necessary for success. Ultimately, this type of self-sacrifice can lead to burnout and harm both the individual and those around them.
Workaholism is a risky behavior that can lead to burnout, a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. Continuing to meet the high expectations of the workplace that have accustomed you to self-sacrifice for the “greater good” while physically and emotionally exhausted easily leads to anger because you have less patience and tolerance for stimuli. The longer this continues, the worse the anger becomes.
In seeking revenge against Ares, Kratos hurts himself and others.
Likewise, leaders and professionals who are consumed by anger and neglect their own well-being in pursuit of their goals can suffer from burnout and harm those around them. The sad reality of burnout is that it affects those closest to the sufferer, damaging relationships and leading the sufferer into isolation and sometimes even depression.
Neglect of one’s own well-being and the well-being of others can lead to resentment toward one’s employer and colleagues.
The cult of martyrdom in the workplace is a twisted religion in which employees worship at the altar of overwork, sacrificing their personal lives and well-being in the pursuit of professional success, all while the company benefits from their self-flagellation.
Kratos’ Path of Revenge Led to his Inevitable Demise…
How can you defeat a god? With the help of allies.
In his quest for revenge, Kratos had to defeat mythical creatures that were too much for him and required special skills. The symbolism of Kratos working with other gods represents the importance of teamwork and cooperation in achieving a common goal. Throughout the game, Kratos initially acts alone in his quest for revenge, but eventually learns to work with other gods like Athena and Artemis to defeat larger enemies.
This serves as a metaphor for the importance of cooperation and teamwork in the workplace and how individuals can achieve greater success through collaboration. On the other hand, being driven by anger limits objective perception and leaves you vulnerable. Kratos was unaware that he was being used as a pawn in the political dynamic between the children of Zeus, who were not allowed to fight each other.
To slay a god, Kratos had to pass a series of challenges to open Pandora’s Box. In the game, Kratos must open Pandora’s Box to gain the power to defeat Ares, but in doing so he unleashes a great evil and must eventually face the consequences of his actions.
This serves as a metaphor for the dangers of blindly seeking power and the importance of weighing the possible consequences of one’s actions.
After defeating Ares, Kratos’ nightmares of endless slaughter and what he has done to his family return, so he decides to take his own life to end the suffering. Unbeknownst to him, Athena has decided to save his life and force him to carry his cross for eternity and now serve as the new God of War on Olympus.
But this is a VP promotion and therefore a good thing to satisfy the ambition of Kratos, right?
Does the story of workaholism and martyrdom have to be a tragedy?
The notion that it is an honor to overwork oneself is a corporate myth perpetuated by those who profit from our willingness to sacrifice ourselves for their gain.
More broadly, corporate mythology refers to the collective beliefs and stories that shape a company’s culture and values. What makes it so powerful is its influence on how employees perceive and experience their workplace, and it can affect their behavior, attitudes, and decisions. Unless you choose to change your perception of these narratives and categorize them as myths not to be believed, you will fall prey to them.
It’s time we start valuing our time and well-being instead of buying into this toxic narrative.
Disconnect from the toxic workaholic reality:
- Set clear boundaries and stick to them. Try to lay the groundwork and set specific times when you will not check work-related email or messages, and communicate those limits to team members.
- Set priorities and delegate tasks. Don’t be a hands-on commander like Kratos, but prioritize and delegate your tasks. Remain accountable, but delegate responsibilities to other team members to avoid feeling overwhelmed by excessive workloads.
- Practice taking regular breaks. It’s okay if you feel that mindfulness is a boring cliché. You can always turn to more pragmatic and concrete activities that promote relaxation, like meditation or exercise. This will help you get away from work addiction and avoid burnout.
Do something tangible for yourself, without necessarily calling it “self-care” if you don’t like it, but thinking about this as survival:
- Get in touch with your friends and family. Work takes up a lot of time and energy and often separates you from your social circle. Coincidentally, friends and family are often cited as a valuable resource in dealing with burnout.
- Learn to say no. No task or project is worth your health. Focus on the most important tasks that align with their goals and objectives.
And finally, be the leader that dares to challenge and change the status quo:
- Lead by example. Leaders should model healthy work habits and set clear boundaries for themselves and their team members to prevent burnout and their workaholic tendencies. If you aren’t a martyr, your team members are less likely to become one.
- Provide resources and support. Managers should provide resources and support to team members struggling with workaholic tendencies, such as counseling or time off.
Otherwise, you risk turning into a corporate Kratos. Your family will suffer, and you will give your all in pursuit of idealized greatness, only to have someone else make your decisions for you at the end of the day.
Workaholism in the service of soulless management reduces our existence to a mere footnote in the annals of corporate history — much like Kratos in God of War.
This article was written by
Antonio Sadaric is passionately curious about organizational symbolism, corporate cultism and general mechanisms of social learning in various contexts. His consulting work at BUFFED focuses on leadership upskilling and helping (fin)tech scale-ups humanize organizational development. Co-author of Capt. Bossman’s Workplace Stories — the world’s first picture book for professionals.
Carin-Isabel Knoop leads the Harvard Business School’s research and case writing group and has helped HBS faculty members write more than 200 case studies on organizations and managers around the world. Learning about managers’ challenges pushed her to improve their lives, leading to the publication of Compassionate Management of Mental Health at Work with Professor John A Quelch (Springer, 2018). She also co-founded HSIO (Human Sustainability Inside Out), and speaks and publishes about mental health in the U.S., French, and Spanish-language spheres. She enjoys soft-serve ice cream, pragmatic idealists, and postcard writing.
