Book Byte #76 "The Infinite Game" by Simon Sinek
There are no winners or losers—only ahead and behind.
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📣 Curious Quote from the Author
The true value of an organization is measured by the desire others have to contribute to that organization’s ability to keep succeeding, not just during the time they are there, but well beyond their own tenure.
A Just Cause is a specific vision of a future state that does not yet exist; a future state so appealing that people are willing to make sacrifices in order to help advance toward that vision.
Any leader who wants to adopt an infinite mindset must follow five essential practices: Advance a Just Cause Build Trusting Teams Study your Worthy Rivals Prepare for Existential Flexibility Demonstrate the Courage to Lead
Players with an infinite mindset want to leave their organizations in better shape than they found them.
“leaders are not responsible for the results, leaders are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results. And the best way to drive performance in an organization is to create an environment in which information can flow freely, mistakes can be highlighted and help can be offered and received.”
“To ask, “What’s best for me” is finite thinking. To ask, “What’s best for us” is infinite thinking.”
“Infinite-minded leaders understand that “best” is not a permanent state. Instead, they strive to be “better.” “Better” suggests a journey of constant improvement and makes us feel like we are being invited to contribute our talents and energies to make progress in that journey.”
“In weak cultures, people find safety in the rules. This is why we get bureaucrats. They believe a strict adherence to the rules provides them with job security. And in the process, they do damage to the trust inside and outside the organization. In strong cultures, people find safety in relationships. Strong relationships are the foundation of high-performing teams. And all high-performing teams start with trust.”
“Culture = Values + Behavior”
“When leaders are willing to prioritize trust over performance, performance almost always follows.”
“An infinite mindset embraces abundance whereas a finite mindset operates with a scarcity mentality. In the Infinite Game we accept that “being the best” is a fool’s errand and that multiple players can do well at the same time.”
“The best way to drive performance in an organization is to create an environment in which information can flow freely, mistakes can be highlighted and help can be offered and received.”
📚 Cognition of the Book’s Big Idea:
Business is treated as an infinite game. There is no time restriction or agreed-upon score to determine who wins or loses. The key goal is to continue playing as long as possible. To accomplish this, businesses must be more infinite-minded by implementing five practices: having a strong Just Cause that will inspire people; cultivating a culture of trust among your employees; learning from and being inspired by your competitors; and demonstrating the courage to lead your company toward your Just Cause and doing what is right in the long-term, not just the short-term.
Believe in your Just Cause and your partners.
If you aren't completely dedicated or don't trust your Just Cause, you could need a new one. Is it for a greater good than yourself? Does it motivate you to devote your life to serving your Just Cause in order to achieve the future you desire? This is what it needs to do to survive.
Understand that you do not have all the answers. Nobody does it entirely by themself. Find partners who share your trust and belief in your Just Cause, and rely on them to help you make decisions that promote it.
🛠️Fixing the Tech Industry
As Tech Professionals, we know how to play games. When the game is over, we either accept victory or accept defeat, but with an infinite game, we accept defeat too quickly. Rather we don’t accept the fact we didn’t actually lose, we accept the disappointing setback and continue on because the point in the game of life is to keep playing.
🤝Collaborate with others with this Social Media Prompt:
What is an area in your life you know you can do better and better until you can be considered great at a subject you don’t know well enough now?