Blog Post #3: Chess and Checkers

1. Explain what this phrase means: "Great managers understand you can't get the best out of people by playing 'checkers' with them." -- To me, this phrase means that as a leader you can't treat every other person the same. In order to be successful you must capitalize on each individuals strengths. If you play checkers with everyone they aren't going to all respond and work the same way. Some people may get frustrated with the way you are dealing with them and others might work really well. If you learn everyones strengths and play them so that they can flourish in a working environment than the likelihood of becoming successful becomes much better.

2. Why is it we naturally expect others to be like us? Why are we more comfortable with people who are similar to us? -- I think we naturally expect others to be like us because we don't want to admit that people are more capable of certain things or are better than ourselves. I think we are more comfortable with people that are similar to us because it doesn't require changing ourselves or our habits. It's an easy way to stay complacent and inside our comfort zone. As people we tend to avoid uncomfortable situations and find it easier to remain the same.

3&4. What are the four qualities that leaders must identify in each team member in order to play "chess" instead of "checkers? Describe the benefits of learning how to capitalize on each person's strengths? -- Leaders must look for strengths and weaknesses in people. In other words, what they do well and what they don't do well. They must look for triggers. For example, what motivates a person to do something and what is going to make a person unmotivated and learning to avoid doing that. They also must look for key parts of their personality. Learning their personality can help you become a better leader and managing that person. Last, they must look for a persons learning style. If a person learns better visually than a visual explanation is going to help the team/company become more successful because that certain individual is manipulated to be successful.

Self Assessment:

1. Do I understand the personality of each member? Do I see how they work best together?

I would say that I am not very good at reading peoples personalities so that is definitely something that I can work on.

2. Do I know what motivates each one of them?

I could definitely work on figuring people out better, especially their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Do I recognize the primary strength the individual brings to the group or team?

I'm usually good at spotting out physical strengths but not mental strengths.

4. Do I realize how they best learn something new?

I don't think I have reached the point where I know how to do this now.