TheInfiniteGame

Infinite games, such as football or chess, have known players, fixed rules, and clear outcomes where winners and losers can be easily identified. However, in infinite games like business, politics, or life itself, players come and go, rules are changeable, and there is no defined endpoint. In infinite games, there are no winners or losers; only those who are ahead and those who are behind.

As I began to understand the difference between finite and infinite games, I started to see infinite games all around us. Many of the struggles organizations face exist simply because their leaders were playing with a finite mindset in an infinite game. These organizations tend to lag behind in innovation, discretionary effort, morale, and ultimately performance.

In contrast, leaders who embrace an infinite mindset build stronger, more innovative, more inspiring organizations. Their people trust each other and their leaders. They have the resilience to thrive in an ever-changing world, while their competitors fall by the wayside. Ultimately, they are the ones who lead the rest of us into the future.

Any worthwhile undertaking starts with Why – the purpose, cause or belief that inspires us to do what we do and inspires others to join us. Good leaders know how to build Circles of Safety that promote trust and cooperation throughout their organizations. But that’s not enough to help us chart a course through the unpredictable, often chaotic landscape of today’s marketplace.

I now believe that the ability to adopt an infinite mindset is a prerequisite for any leader who aspires to leave their organization in better shape than they found it.

作者简介

国际知名演讲家，其领导力演讲在TED排名第三，他还是“2019年全球最具影响力的50大管理思想家”之一。《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《商业周刊》等媒体的专栏作家。毕业于英国布兰迪斯大学，现在美国哥伦比亚大学的战略沟通课程中执教。