#149
As a member of the Better Leaders Better Schools Mastermind, I value the opportunity to engage in professional development with educators from around the world. This multifaceted PD includes reading a non-education, yet relevant text over a few weeks and discussing during our one hour Zoom meeting once a week.
I very much appreciated our most recent text, Simon Sinek’s The Infinite Game, and being exposed to his fundamental concepts of The Finite Game/The Infinite Game and the essential practices to develop an infinite mindset.
With regard to The Infinite Game/The Finite Game, Sinek contrasts the two as follows:
“Finite games are played by known players. They have fixed rules. And there is an agreed-upon objective that, when reached, ends the game. Football, for example, is a finite game.” (pp. 2-3)
“In finite games, there is always a beginning, a middle and an end. Infinite games, in contrast, are played by known and unknown players. There are no exact or agreed-upon rules. Though there may be conventions or laws that govern how the players conduct themselves, within those broad boundaries, the players can operate however they want.” (p. 4)
“Infinite games have infinite time horizons. And because there is no finish line, no practical end to the game, there is no such thing as “winning” an infinite game. In an infinite game, the primary objective is to keep playing, to perpetuate the game.” (p. 4)
The notion of perpetuating the game is important as school communities continue to reflect upon practice and adjust programmes, philosophies accordingly. During these most unusual of times when there is much uncertainty, it is - I believe - even more paramount to perpetuate the game to ensure the longevity of the educational establishment and adapt to financial constraints, decline in enrolment et al in the here and now and prepare for unknown challenges in the future.
Sinek’s five essential practices necessary to adopt an infinite mindset are as follows:
Advance a Just Cause
Build Trusting Teams
Study your Worthy Rivals
Prepare for Existential Flexibility
Demonstrate the Courage to Lead
With regard to the notion of A Just Cause, Sinek emphasizes that the cause may be one’s own or may be that of another individual/group of people. To drive individuals in the here and now and in the long term, he outlines (p. 37) these five standards:
For something—affirmative and optimistic
Inclusive—open to all those who would like to contribute
Service oriented—for the primary benefit of others
Resilient—able to endure political, technological and cultural change
Idealistic—big, bold and ultimately unachievable
The video The Infinite Game (25 minutes) from 2018 is great for more information and examples regarding the concepts of The Finite Game and The Infinite Game and the five essential practices for adopting an infinite mindset.
I appreciate that in the text there are many examples of individuals and companies with regard to advancing a just cause and building trusting teams. The examples that most resonate with me related to:
“Noah” who works in two different hotels in Las Vegas. He experiences radically different working cultures: one in which he can be himself and the other where he tries to stay under the radar. (pp. 50 - 53 of Chapter 6, Will and Resources);
The URSA Shell team where the focus was on developing deeper connections between the team members. Through their work with Claire Nuer, the team developed resulting in team members feeling psychologically safe with each other. Sinek’s oft quoted line, “There is a difference between a group of people who work together and a group of people who trust each other” (p. 105) relates to the URSA team, yet is relevant to all teams. The notion of vulnerability is a key component and as such Sinek quotes Brené Brown, “Trust is the stacking and layering of small moments and reciprocal vulnerability over time.” (Chapter 7, Trusting Teams); and
The Navy SEALs and the way in which candidates are evaluated according to performance versus trust, see image below (Chapter 7, Trusting Teams).
(Source: p. 109)
Whilst the experience of an individual working in Las Vegas hotels or teams on oil rigs or part of Navy SEALs appear to be far removed from the world of education, I do believe that the above examples have a direct connection with educational practices. It is evident that members of the school community - be they students, support staff, teachers, administrators - prosper and grow to the benefit of themselves as well as the school community when they are in an environment in which they feel safe and secure. This growth, in which vulnerability is often evident, allows individuals and/or teams to move out of their comfort zone and experience profound changes for the benefit of the individual, the team and the school at large. I perceive this - which relates to both the concepts of The Infinite Game and A Just Cause - correlates somewhat to the notion of self-actualization per Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
With regard to my current school, I shared - in my July 2020 blog post, The Secret of Change - that there has been over the last six years or so a change from hiring people for their individual strengths to the notion of “hiring for teams”. This change is very much due to a change in school leadership and philosophy and one which I believe is in line with The Infinite Game. As to the here and now, I can not help but reiterate the point that perpetuating the game is even more paramount during these most unusual of times.
I look forward to continued reflections on my takeaways from Simon Sinek’s The Infinite Game as well as making further connections while reflecting on my professional practice on campus, engaging with colleagues and reading professional texts.
References:
Brady, A. (2020) The Secret of Change
Scott, K. (2017) Radical Candour
Sinek, S. (2019) The Infinite Game
The New York Times Events (2018) The Infinite Game
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