Enough of the Chess/Strategy Metaphor!

I'm tired of seeing companies use a chess motif to adorn their strategic plan or used in consulting practices!  Chess has got to be one of the worst visual images used to depict business strategy.  Sure there’s strategy involved in a game of chess, but to compare it with serious business strategy is a big stretch.  Before you dismiss this perspective, let me explain.

Chess is a great game and one that requires both skill and strategy.  A key in prevailing in chess is an ability to think multiple moves ahead and anticipate how the other player may respond to any given decision.  Certainly, there are similarities to how a company formulates its moves in the market and anticipates how others will respond.  But the analogy should end there.  You see in chess, there are only a certain number of legal moves in each turn; there are specific rules under which a legitimate game can be played.  In the business world, aside from regulatory constraints, the number of ‘legal’ moves is relatively unbounded.  A company’s decision in the market is sure to evoke a reaction (or at least one would hope) and while there may be several logical reactions one can anticipate, there are always those that can completely disrupt and change the entire game.  You may think you’re playing chess but someone else may be playing a game of checkers or something entirely new.

When people use the chess metaphor in strategy, they are creating artificial boundaries around the field of play, and more times than not, the other players aren’t willing to play by your rules.  Remember playing games growing up when you set the rules in advance (say a game of tag where areas were declared out of bounds).  Unless you were absolutely sure that everyone agreed to your rules, there was no way of forcing people to play exactly as you wanted them to.  How did you feel when in the middle of the game, someone ‘cheated’ by breaking your rules?  Sure, you could try to toss them out of the game, throw a temper tantrum, or place a penalty on them, but did it really change the outcome?  In business, it’s normal for companies to run out of bounds to reach the objective and in most cases, they’re not playing by your rules in the first place and it’s usually perfectly legal and ethical.

So next time you’re tempted to find some nifty chess motif for your strategic plan or in some way associate your consulting practice with the game, think about what message you’re subtly sending.  Are you someone who intends on playing just one kind of game and willing to live within the boundaries set by the board and the rules, or do you chose instead to create your own game?

At Connect2Action, we work to help our clients understand the entire board of play and craft a strategic approach tailored to their unique needs and circumstances – developing the board and setting the rules of play.  So start playing your game and leave the chess to those less creative.

Duane Grove is founder of Connect2Action, a strategy execution specialist at the intersection of employee engagement and executive leadership, igniting innovation as a lever to accelerate your growth.  Follow Duane on Twitter @connect2action and connect with him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+.  Learn more by visiting www.connect2action.com.