Play to Win!

Play to Win

We are all experiencing the ‘Great Resignation’, the ‘Great Reallocation’… 

Whatever we call it, we are all feeling the effects in the workplace. Many of us are under-staffed and losing good people. We are being challenged to do more with less when so much is unknown. We are resorting to strategies like ‘stay interviews’.

So logically, many leaders are playing the retention game – playing not to lose with additional benefits, raises, shifts in responsibilities and projects, etc.

But I propose that leaders adopt a ‘play-to-win’ mindset. Below are some thoughts on how to do so.

1. Embrace Succession Planning to empower and engage your staff.
2. Consistently speak with a sense of shared purpose, meaning, and commitment.
3. Think and speak with passion, and follow up by investing deeply and consistently in people’s capabilities.
4. Be warm and gracious to all, even if they are seeking to exit. Welcome them back with gusto if they choose to recommit.
5. Show deep and authentic empathy for the journey of others, especially in this time of great change when the future is so uncertain. 
6. Cultivate a culture of one-ness, where we all stand distinctly separate yet loosely conjoined for a purpose of serving our customers, where it is safe to ask questions, to be curious, to fail forward.
7. Empower people at all levels from all backgrounds to fully participate in strategy, planning, execution (where reasonable).
8. Have the plans and strategies and tools to address problem areas, but wait until that problem area receives enough attention and urgency before taking action.
9. Err on the side of positivity, with a growth mindset. 
10. Celebrate your successes as much as you relish your challenges.

Let’s ALL Play to Win by strategizing collaboratively, planning diligently, and executing religiously, while embracing challenges as opportunities.

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