Playing The Wrong Game

The napkin lay between us, with scribbles and notes in my friend Marion's handwriting.

He was taking notes on what he had available.

My other friend Sandra and I were talking about my recent resignation.

Eventually, Marion chimed in:

Theresa, you know what your problem is? You've been playing checkers, hoping to get kinged, while all the other leaders around you are playing chess. You've been playing the wrong game.

It's a moment that I will never forget.

For the several years before this moment, I had stood on my pedestal of righteousness, looking down at all the political games I saw my colleagues playing.

I knew I was better than them.
I didn't play politics.

I believe that if I just keep my head down and did good work, I would be rewarded.

Eventually I was on the way out, and they were all still there.
Many still are.

My pedestal got me nowhere.

There are some of you out there who probably agreed with me - that politics has no place in leadership, or in organizations.

That we shouldn't be playing games at all.

But what if we flipped it around completely.

What if everything is a game?
What if playing could be more fun and less stressful?
What if we break the rules, and create new ones?
What if we could be the board, and a player on it, at the same time?
What if....

Have you ever gotten caught in political games at work? How did you handle it?

Originally posted on LinkedIn with comments.

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