Why Business is Like Chess
Hassan Pasha @ Unsplash
Working in a blue-chip company occasionally had me feeling like a number - Employee number 16533 to be specific. I didn't feel like a prime number though, in fact I didn't feel that I had any value at all.
It‘s easy to feel like just another one-point pawn on the chessboard of the business, working across the board one square at a time for the most valuable - and valued - piece of them all, The Queen, or as they are more commonly known as… The C.E.O’s.
It can feel horrible, as though your efforts are overlooked, and I still remember that feeling - to this day. Recently though, I learned something I wish I’d learned 20 years ago. I was on Audible listening to ‘The Midnight Library’ by Matt Haig when I had a wee bit of an epiphany. The Pawn is the most important piece of the game.
If you know chess then you know that the pawn moves directly forward, never backwards nor to the side. All the other pieces, even the Queen, can move backwards, yet the pawn can only go in one direction… Ahead.
The thing you need to realise is this: the game is never over until it is over. It isn't over if there is a single pawn still on the board. If one side is down to a pawn and a king, and the other side has every player, there is still a game. And even if you were a pawn -maybe we all are - then you should remember that the pawn is the most magical piece of all. It might look small and ordinary but it isn't. Because a pawn is never just a pawn. A pawn is a queen-in-waiting. All you need to do is find a way to keep moving forward.
- The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
See, inspiring right? But what does this mean in terms of your work-life?
If you work in a large organisation, it's much easier to feel lost and like your efforts are going amiss. It can be hard to see the bigger picture, and it's our job as leaders to ensure that our team aren't feeling this way.
So, the million dollar question… How do we do this?
Offer opportunities for career development
This one is massive and I cannot stress this enough! Allowing your team members to progress in their job role motivates them and allows them to feel valued by the organisation. Each and every member of your team is important, and taking on new roles and responsibilities will help them to feel this way.
If you can't necessarily offer a promotion, additional roles and responsibilities will help them to feel this way. Can they manage a project? Can they take control of a specific aspect and make it theirs? Ownership provides accountability, and where there is accountability, there is progress.
2-Way Comms
Communication is super important when it comes to helping your team feel valued. If they feel as though they can't ask you questions, then they may begin to feel pretty insignificant. Make sure that, not only are you reaching out to them whenever you can, but encouraging them to ask any questions too.
Also, ask them questions. Asking your team for their opinion on an idea or project really helps them to understand that their opinion is valued in the organisation.
Celebrate & Reward Achievements
Hitting goals should be celebrated, in large organisations goals are being smashed constantly! Sounds great right? Hmm. When this is the case, achievements can sometimes go under the radar. Make sure to keep track of the goals you and your team are working towards and celebrate any team and individual achievements.
By “celebrate” I don't mean throw a party. A box of chocolates or a simple “Well done” “Great Work” does the trick nicely. That recognition could be all you need for your team members to go from feeling like zeros, to feeling like heroes. Like what you've read?
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