I’m a big fan of Chess. The challenge of a game that has an endless amount of moves; each and every one just as important as the first. Not to mention you are constantly measuring, analyzing, and recalibrating as your opponent does the same. It’s a game of deep thought, patience, and well planned execution.
1. Have a plan but be agileIn chess you have a start game, mid game, and end game with standard principals for each. The challenge lies in knowing how to execute based on your position in each phase. You never know what the board is going to look like. In business we have plans but rarely do things unfold as expected, we need to be agile and execute on the current situation to successfully move on to the next phase.
Playing chess requires you to use each and every piece to be successful. No one piece can win the game on it’s own. The same applies to business, each team member is vital and needs to be utilized based on their strengths.
Chess is a very competitive game and can be stressful at times. Sometimes overlooked, the game of chess is just that, a game, and needs to be enjoyed like any other you would play. Business, in my opinion, should follow the same rules. Play to the best of your ability but enjoy the journey no matter the outcome. You’ll win some and lose some, but the important thing is you had fun and learned how to be better the next time around.