Checkmate

My son and I play a game of chess almost every morning before he goes to school and I start my day’s work. We began playing as a way to connect and do something together … in theory. The reality is probably more that I like to connect and my competitive son likes beating his dad. We are well-matched as opponents, and believe me, the fact that he is 10 and I am nearly 50 is not lost on either of us.

What I failed to realize until very recently is the abundance of leadership lessons the game of chess offers. For example:

1. Never quit the game. The game is won or lost in your head before it reveals itself on the board. I lose every game I set out or choose to lose. And that’s not limited to chess.
2. Take care of your pawns. Too many players will treat pawns like they are weak and unvaluable. There are no weak pieces. Pawns serve all other pieces on the board and when protected and allowed to serve, they will lead you to victory. If you lead people, take care of all of them, especially those that seem to be limited in their knowledge and abilities or that could use some investment to develop.
3. Practice being a better player tomorrow. Don’t practice being a master player or to be perfect. Use yourself as the rubric of your own improvement and play to be just a little better each time. As a leader, model daily improvement.
4. Pay attention to and respect the other player. Leaders gain credibility through their respect and treatment of those they work (or play) with. Your social awareness is more important than your strategy at times. This holds true for chess and leadership equally.
5. Be courageous and vulnerable. Perhaps this is as much about living as it is about chess or leadership. Giving yourself permission to experiment in your game will provide rich lessons both in and outside the game.

If you’re not playing chess yet, you might think about getting a set and sharing it with your family – especially while we continue to socially distance, remain indoors more than out in these winter months and if for no other reason, to become a better leader.

While strategy is important in chess and leadership, so is development. Our Emergent Leader public offering allows leaders of all levels from any organization to attend a world-class online real-time instructed leadership development opportunity. Reach out to me, bill@getemergent.com to learn more about our public offerings!