Resource Zombies
Red flags include projects 'almost ready to launch' for 2+ years, 6+ strategy pivots without gaining traction, and leadership unable to articulate clear success metrics.
Senescent cells stop dividing but resist apoptosis (programmed death), consuming resources while contributing nothing. They accumulate in aging tissues, secreting inflammatory signals that damage healthy neighbors. The immune system should clear them but sometimes fails. In forests, standing dead trees ('snags') occupy space and block light while decomposing slowly. Healthy organisms have mechanisms to detect and eliminate non-contributing components; when these fail, resources flow to the living dead.
Business Application of Resource Zombies
Zombie initiatives consume resources without delivering value - they're not technically dead (still have budget, staff, executive sponsors) but aren't alive either (no customer traction, no revenue growth, no strategic progress). Red flags include projects 'almost ready to launch' for 2+ years, 6+ strategy pivots without gaining traction, and leadership unable to articulate clear success metrics.