Playing the Game

Games. Everyone has a different image in mind when a topic such as “playing games” comes up. Some people immediately think of cards, or a board game, or kids on the playground … and others will go a more adult route – sports (amateur or professional), head games, bedroom games, gambling. But there is another game that most people tend to overlook or not speak of at all (depending on their perspective in life) – the games played at work. Now I’m not talking about your cribbage game with your friends over lunch, or the occasional game of solitaire you play on your work computer. No, I am talking about the base game that harkens back to junior high – the popularity game.

We are taught to play games from an early age – learning games are taught to children to help with subjects like math, language, even science. As children grow older, they are introduced to more games of various types – Red Rover, Hi Ho Cherry Oh, Hungry Hungry Hippos, and eventually into games like Uno, Monopoly, and the ever favorite (in our house) Sorry. All along, there are messages that are laid out in these games – there are rules to play by, there is a clear winner, but everyone can have fun. What many people don’t seem to realize, is that these games are laying the ground work for the years to come … life itself is a big game.

The games change as we age … sure there are still board games and card games that we play, and school teaches us such games as dodgeball or kickball or pickle ball … and the above mentioned popularity game. It’s the late elementary/middle school/junior high ages that we really see cliques begin to form and “solidify” (if you will). Sure, kids in the elementary/kindergarten ages have their friends they play with more or like more than others … but the stakes of the game increase as kids age and move into the junior high/high school age groups. This is relevant to my current world, as the HG is struggling with this game at present – recalling my own struggles at that age. I wasn’t the best at the game back then, hell, I’m still not great at the game. I’m a better coach/commentator than I am a player.

So, I’m sure you are all asking now why I bring all of this up … well, over the past couple of weeks, I was involved in ‘the game’ at work, once again. You see, my job requires you to play the game in order to get ahead. Of course, I received the generic email “the position was offered to someone more qualified” (for a job I’ve done a couple of times on an interim basis before), however I read the writing on the wall before I even applied and interviewed. I wasn’t turned down based upon merit, intelligence or experience, I was turned down because I refuse to play the game. (I struggled for years with my own view of popularity and where I fell into that overrated system of merit, but that is something I have given up as part of my personal changes.) I believe that promotions should be given based upon who they are and what they can do – in other words, you earn your merit pay and your place on the ladder. Now this doesn’t always work, as some people are great in their current position, yet they don’t have the drive or the experience or the personal wherewithal to lead … and I know many people who know this and are content to remain where they are.

But that is where the game comes in and ignores common sense. Recently, another blogger I follow wrote about the “Peter Principle”. Playing the game has its roots in the Peter Principle … but this isn’t about blame or failure. Playing the game is about how one gets into a position. You see, the person who was promoted over myself (and a number of others) has less experience in the position she was promoted into … less time with the company, and less work experience over all. In fact, this person has never done the job for which she is now leading. Yet she is more qualified (in fact, the person promoted before her is in a similar boat) than those of us who have done one or both jobs.

So I know what you are saying … what’s your point, Irish? Well, I will tell you – we are all left with a choice in what we want to do in this world while we live in it. How we approach our position and our role within our employer’s infrastructure often depends on how much of the game we want to play … and what rules we will follow. I’ve long had the issue with the fact that I tend to not follow the side rules very well, if at all. You won’t allow me to get ahead without kissing your arse or sucking up? Well, guess I will play by the written rules for now, until I find my exit from your game and into another. In this game, there are no ‘Gentleman’s Rules’ or ‘Agreements’ – just the written rules, and the ones people make up as they go along and move into positions of power or control.

Perhaps I should just stick with dodge ball … after all, if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball. Any other questions?