I have always loved board games. The challenge of thinking ahead, developing a plan, and executing step by step is extremely satisfying. I know they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but for a kid who grew up to be a consultant, chess, Monopoly, and Risk are old friends.
Life lessons, and strategy lessons, are everywhere—even in board games. Here are three things I’ve learned from my favorites.
Chess
By some estimates, the number of possible chess games that can be played outnumbers the atoms in the observable universe! Even with all the imaginable moves and outcomes your only objective is to put your opponent in checkmate.
Think about your organization and all the moving parts! Is there coordination between different departments, or is everyone pursuing their own version of what winning looks like? When chess pieces, like team members, are deployed harmoniously to achieve one goal they support each other and you get results that are greater than the sum of the parts.
Lesson from chess: laser focus on your vision.
Monopoly
Monopoly is an American classic. Since it’s my home state, I always thought it was cool that the street names are taken from Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The biggest danger on the road to victory is unwise deals. If you buy properties all over the board, instead of focusing on buying and trading to get a monopoly, you’re sunk. You also don’t want to build too fast and get “house poor” in case you land on your opponent’s fully developed Boardwalk and have to shell out some big bucks.
Businesses face all manner of financial obstacles. For nonprofits money is almost always even more of a challenge. Don’t make it harder on yourself! Know what is worth investing in, and where you can save money.
Do you have planned priorities that help you determine the difference between “nice to have” and “mission critical?” Having metrics for financial health and clearly defined priorities helps you avoid monetary pitfalls.
Lesson from Monopoly: Spend money on the right stuff.
Risk
Ah, yes—world domination. The six inhabited continents of the world are subdivided into smaller territories and the object is to conquer them all with your tiny plastic soldiers.
There are several different strategies and tactics that are favored by serious players, but I think they can be condensed down to one idea: don’t spread yourself too thin.
I know how it feels to be excited about a new initiative—I really do! But one thing that I learned the hard way is conquering too much territory with too little troops equals an early exit from the game. Think of your troops as your time and energy. How far can you go before you risk collapse? You need to allow the game to progress so you can accumulate more troops and make the next push. Slow and steady wins the race.
Lesson from Risk: Traction comes from pacing yourself.
Do you have an example of a lesson learned from a game? I’d love to hear it! Please feel free to write me at ted@tedwaz.net.
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