The Dread
The Sunday Night Horror Movie No One Talks About
My daughter likes scary movies- the scarier, the better. Personally, they’re not for me. I hate the feeling of being on the edge of my seat all the time. It’s the constant wondering that gnaws at me: Who’s next? Will my favorite character make it? When is the next jump scare?
There are people who live for the adrenaline, the fight-or-flight rush, the lingering “whodunit” tension. I’m not one of them.
But every Sunday night, a horror movie begins playing in homes across the working world.
The title?
The Dread.
It opens at dusk. The main character has a sinking feeling in their stomach. They’re distracted at dinner. Tired, but unable to sleep. Restless. Lying awake, staring at the ceiling.
One question loops in their mind:
What will happen at work tomorrow?
Millions of employees are this main character every weekend.
They wonder:
Has someone been fired?
Did someone quit?
Will more work be piled on?
What new surprise task will be waiting?
The survival plan begins in their head and settles into their gut.
The strategy? Keep your head down. Stay quiet. Don’t be noticed.
It’s survival mode.
And when people operate in survival mode, they don’t innovate.
They don’t take risks.
They don’t speak up.
They conserve energy instead of investing it- and that changes how work gets done.
If you’re the boss, you should be wondering whether anyone on your team feels this way.
Would you know the signs?
Are you greeted with genuine smiles- or avoidance?
Do you have to chase people down for meetings or information?
Are you guessing what’s happening with customers or projects?
In meetings, are you the only one talking?
If any of these are true, The Dread may be playing in your workplace every Sunday night.
In my work with clients, I talk regularly about three things:
Clarity, Consistency, and Care.
When it comes to The Dread, these three matter more than you might think.
Clarity
If priorities constantly shift, if expectations are unclear, or if “urgent” changes by the hour, you’re not creating urgency — you’re creating confusion.
Confusion breeds dread.
Consistency
If the workplace feels like a constant pivot, like riding the Swirling Saucer at Disney, your team never feels steady.
Inconsistency breeds dread.
Care
If your actions say you’re indifferent to employee feedback, development, or support needs, your team will believe them- whether that’s your intent or not.
And perceived indifference breeds dread.
Leaders who ignore these things are often frustrated by inefficiency and poor outcomes.
They ask:
Why can’t we fix this?
Why does this keep happening?
When will they just do their jobs?
The more likely truth?
Leadership patterns may be the issue.
Because here’s what’s easy to overlook:
Dread isn’t just emotional.
It’s operational.
When employees work in survival mode, productivity drops.
When clarity is missing, mistakes increase.
When consistency is absent, service suffers.
And when people don’t feel cared for, they leave.
Turnover resets momentum.
Instability erodes trust.
Customers feel the difference.
Over time, that erosion shows up in stalled growth and thinner margins.
The Dread doesn’t just haunt your employees.
It quietly undermines your business.
And here’s the good news:
This isn’t a horror movie you’re stuck watching.
You’re the director.
You choose the script.
You set the tone.
You decide whether your workplace runs on fear or on clarity, consistency, and care.
If you’re ready to change the script and build a workplace rooted in clarity, consistency, and care, On The Way Enterprises helps organizations turn intention into structure and strategy into daily practice.
