The goal is to make our products better this year than they were last year, to make our culture stronger this year than it was last year, and to make our leaders better leaders this year than they were last year.
If we are trying to outdo anyone, it should be ourselves.
Simon Sinek
of note:
In the “Infinite Game”...
1- no such thing as winning or losing… instead, there is ahead & behind; can be #1 in whatever metric you choose or timeframe you want, but it’s only temporary
2- only true competitor is yourself… if we are trying to outdo anyone, it should be ourselves; still pay attention to other players in the market since what they are doing may challenge us
To Lead a Team in the “Infinite Game”…
1- have a just cause… a vsiion (or a cause) that the Team would be sacrificial for in order to advance it.. “may never get there, but will die trying”
2- build trusting teams – space to feel secure to admit a mistake or ask for more training and help without any fear of humiliation or retribution
3- have a worthy rivalry… another player whose strength reveals to us our weaknesses so that we may become stronger & better
4- have essential flexibility… willingness to make a profound strategic shift (not simply the daily flexibility required in business); this is willingness to walk away from money or time invested because have found a better way
5- courage to lead… so many pressures to play the finite game; takes tremendous courage to stand up and take an entirely different point of view of how we are building our businesses
Simon Sinek as interviewed by Peter High, president, Metis Strategy
Bonus Nuggets:
A vision is an idealized statement of the future that we commit our efforts, product & company towards to advance that idealized state… we may never get there, but we will die trying.
If we do not give our people something to advance that is bigger than the company and the products we make and sell, then the relationships become significantly more transactional and the organization starts operating in a much more finite way
There is not a CEO on the planet responsible for the result. A CEO is responsible for the people who are responsible for the people who are responsible for results.