Business War Games by Benjamin Gilad;

Author:Benjamin Gilad;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC
Published: 2009-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

Neurotic Managers

Some executives who lack self-confidence, or are new to their positions and have a strong fear of failure, may want a game to go exactly as they envisioned it. Any deviation—a discussion that focuses on a “wrong” blind spot, a strategic option that is too “radical”—may cause these sponsors to become nervous.

It is actually hard to watch the inner conflict of these executives, as they try to keep a fake “open mind” while seething inside. On one occasion, I felt as though I was watching a wounded horse, and all I wanted to do was put that poor manager out of her misery.

If you find yourself running a war game with a boss exhibiting the signs of neurotic discomfort, it is highly advisable to call a break in the game, preferably at a natural break point (between teams’ presentations, for example), and ask the executive what his or her concerns are and how can they be remedied in the time remaining in the game.

Addressing the neurotic boss’s needs does not serve the realism of the game, but it is a simple act of humanism. You know the “undesired” results of the game will be suppressed by the neurotic boss, anyway, so have mercy.

The alternative is to run the game as honest as it should be, and then resign. On the occasion mentioned a couple paragraphs previously, that was the outcome of a game. The manager who organized the game then found a better position.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.