The executive leader I was coaching was nervous: Recently promoted, she lacked the requisite confidence needed to succeed in her new role. The reason for her anxiety was clear: She did not want to play “the game.”
The game is a competition between those in positions of authority who prioritize the possession of power over value creation for their company and customers. Participants in the game hide information, undermine the efforts of peers, ruthlessly politic, and have these traits in common:
- over-sized egos,
- a lack of identity
- and an insecurity that drives drama.
The pressure to play in the game intensifies as you climb the ladder in most organizations. Few leaders succeed in staying out of the game. Many sell their soul and succumb to the pressure to be someone they are not.
(Worth noting: To some degree, we all play the game. Who among us has not withheld the transparent truth to win the favor of those in authority? To point fingers at those playing the game is to be in the game.)
The few who have managed to stay out of the game – and still succeed – have five things in common:
- They operate with a sense of purpose. They pursue being a part of something bigger than themselves.
- They have a clear definition of success. The clarity of who they want to be as a person and the experience they want to have in life guides their every-day decisions.
- They are capable. When your skills drive your credibility, you do not have to rely on a faux reputation or manipulation to get you where you want to go.
- They have a support network. It is lonely at the top only for those who play the game (because they have no one they can trust).
- They prioritize their health. A sound body and mind provide the strength required to be resilient and autonomous of those playing the game.
You do not have to play the game to succeed. There is a higher road.
Keep your soul.
