We are playing an infinite game at Gibson. The purpose of our game is different from the finite games most of us are used to playing.

Our desired “win” is not to beat some other group, but rather to keep our deepest values “in play”. It’s our values – being authentically lived out by our amazing employee-owners – that’s creating our greatest impact. From our own employees, to our clients, friends, and community members, we’re in business to help others find their edge.

Winning a new client, hitting our numbers for the quarter, or nailing our annual goals are all meaningful milestones or measures of progress. We aim to achieve those. But they are only finite scores, with defined winners (and losers). Even a multi-year plan is just that: a longer-term goal with a specific outcome, and still a defined end.

Maybe a “goal” of continuing play doesn’t sound very exciting to those on the outside. Perhaps it inadvertently signals a lack of accountability. Nothing could be further from reality.

Uncertainty is chronic.
Instability is permanent.
Disruption is common.
We can neither predict nor govern events.

As Jim Collins writes in BE 2.0, a ‘new normal’ doesn’t exist. “There will only be a continuous series of ‘not normal’ episodes.”

GULP. What to do?

It’s never been more important for leaders and their teams to be rapidly improving their readiness. Those most prepared, and willing – the ready – will be able to adapt and thrive. For the unready, whether they realize it yet or not, the future will be a scary and unpleasant place.

Leaders must act clearly and decisively. Accountability and discipline will be key. So will humility, vulnerability, and fairness.

As Collins considers his work over the past thirty years, he comes back to what might be the principle he’s most closely associated with: first who, then what. Successful organizations will be the ones with the right people (RP) in the right seats (RS) on the bus.

Have you ever felt you might be on the edge?

• Maybe like Melle Mel, you’re getting pushed to the edge and trying not to lose your head.
• Perhaps you’re on the edge of your seat, anticipating what is going to happen in the Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian (link contains episode spoilers!).
• Or, riding to spectacular glory On The Edge in Michigan’s Copper Harbor Trail System.

Like individuals, teams also find themselves on the edge. It can run the gamut between being in a precarious position, almost there, before the fragile bonds holding everyone together begin to break; to one of great excitement and pure joy, roaring down the hill together after the long climb up.

What separates those special teams – the kind, if we’re lucky, we get to be a part of maybe three or four times in our life – from the more mundane, but solid experiences?

Another year of blogging is in the books! 

In what has been a strange and challenging year for everyone, I hope these posts brought you some insight, nuggets of wisdom, or perhaps opportunities for reflection in 2020. 

Here are the most popular leadership blogs of the year:

Did you claim victory over 2020, or did it get you?

How you answer that question has much to do with the kind of game you’re choosing to play: finite or infinite.

This year our team has been talking about the Infinite Game, from Simon Sinek’s book. He talks about winning in a totally different fashion than I think we’re all used to.

Winning is about staying in the game, continuing to play, not giving up, and being resilient.

This concept can sometimes feel overwhelming. It got me thinking about another book our team at Gibson drew on in recent years - The Excellence Dividend by Tom Peters. One of things I found most useful in this book was that Tom talks about how excellence is all about the next five minutes.

Building trusting teams is critical. A team can accomplish more and endure longer, together, than they can alone. It’s a key part of playing the infinite game.

Beyond the normal day-to-day elasticity running a business demands, playing the infinite game requires existential flexibility. What exactly is existential flexibility?

Simon Sinek describes it as, “The capacity to initiate an extreme disruption to a business model or strategic course in order to more effectively advance a Just Cause.” In other words, it’s a big-time offensive maneuver and not to be confused with the defensive adjustments companies make when facing changing client needs or market conditions.

We must become proficient at change. 

As Cy Wakeman teaches:

Readiness is being prepared and willing; so, if we are prepared for what the future might hold and willing to take action, then adapting to new circumstances will not be as difficult as we often make it out to be.