The Great Game Of Business

The Great Game of Business

By Jack Stack

" I am often asked to say exactly what the Great Game of Business is. I have to admit I find this hard to do. It is not a system. It is not a methodology. It is not a philosophy, or an attitude, or a set of techniques. It is all of those things and more. It is a whole different way of running a company and thinking of how a company should be run."

Business has many different parts to it. The main two aspects of business are making money and generating cash. Many people don't know the difference between the two, but it is this distinction that can determine whether or not your business will fail or be successful. Therefore it is of the utmost importance to give each person in the company the knowledge that they need to prosper.

The biggest barrier at any company is ignorance, and it comes on more than just one level. The problem with the top managers is that they don't feel that the people below them understand the responsibilities and problems that they have. The workers are the people who don't know why the managers do what they do. They also think that everything that goes wrong is a result of the greed and stupidity of the managers. The middle managers are caught in the middle of everything. They are torn between the demands of the workers and the highest managers and feel as if they have a responsibility to both. They, perhaps, have the hardest job at the company because of it.

Every company has trouble at some point being short on people that they need to do a specific job. To prevent this from becoming a disaster, plan ahead! Give all people the opportunity to learn anything and everything that they want. Teach people the skills they would need to function in a department that is completely unlike their normal work. Not only will this prevent future problems, but you could find hidden talents in several people that will help you out a great deal. If you have every one doing something that they really enjoy doing, they will blow by any obstacles that arise. If ignorance is taken out of the workplace, it will help your establishment be prosperous, and motivate the people who work for you.

The first step to get people interested in their jobs is to give