What Game Are You Playing In Business?

There is no "one-size-fits-all" Solution in Business.

No matter how many people tell you that, "Their Way" is the best way to "Win".

There are some different similarities that exist within Business, but their Rules don't work for everyone, and sometimes the rules created are Mediocre at best.

However, to Succeed, you do need to understand what the Rules are for the Game you are playing.

I was reading a Medium Article earlier where the writer was... complaining?... about another article they read.

An article, about an article, about another article... which happened to be about 10 other "Top Writers" who also write articles.

Yes, I see the irony here.

Now, the article "I" read talked about how these "10 Writers" had boring and simplistic work, even though they had tremendous success, and how they never wanted to write like "those" Writers.

What the Writer that I was Reading, unknowingly, was talking about was that there were different Games being played.

The "10 Boring Writers" were playing a game of simplicity, mass virality, and fast cash.

There's nothing wrong with that, it is a Game that works.

The author I was reading was playing a Game of Meaning and Personal Expression.

There's also nothing wrong with that, it is a different Game that also works.

Both these Games work, but they play by different Rules.

If your goal is mass virality and fast cash, but you write long articles, you'll lose the game.

If your goal is to get Deep Meaning and Deep Investment from others into your work, but you write consistently simplistic work that doesn't make people think, you'll lose the game.

If you're a Leader in a Business, and you choose to Compete (which I wouldn't personally recommend, but it can work to an extent), understand that the Rules of the Game you are Competing in are generally written by whoever you compare yourself to.

If you're trying to Create something completely new and different, realize that if you try to copy the Rules of others, you stop being new and different.

No matter how you decide to play, every Game has Rules that you need to understand to Succeed.

Rules are created by your Product/Service.

Rules are created by the Workforce you Employ.

Rules are created by your Customers.

Rules are created by your Suppliers.

Rules are created by the State of the World at large.

There are Rules that Formulate every Aspect of Business, and you will be forced to Play with, either by Choice or by Default.

If you are going to truly Succeed, you need to understand the Game you are trying to Play so that you win.

Take for example McDonalds - not a business I particularly like, but which illustrates the point well.

McDonalds was playing the Restaurant Game originally, but that changed with Ray Crock.

McDonalds ended up splitting into 2 different Games, and therefore designing a New Game, that had vastly different Rules from the Restaurant Game.

The Franchise Game, and the Real Estate Game.

These 2 Games had COMPLETELY different Rules than the Restaurant Game.

However, understanding the Rules of the Game they played helped McDonalds come out as the largest Fast Food Franchise, still to this day.

The Restaurant Game Focuses on the "Best Food" in a category.

The Franchise Game Focuses on "Consistency, Ease, and Affordability" in a category.

The Real Estate Game Focuses on "Owning Land and Buildings".

All these games have merits, and have ways to "Win", but if you try to Win the Franchise Game with the Rules from the Restaurant Game, you'll lose.

Many have lost, and many more will lose in the Future.

If you don't understand what Game you actually play, you become at the mercy of Rules you aren't aware of.

Don't be a Leader that is at the mercy of Rules you are unaware of.