This is the last in our series of tactical-level LPDs. In this session, the author expands upon the ideas he introduced in “LPD#3: The Student as Teacher” to encompass something we’re not used to doing at work: play. Here’s a teaser:

War is not a game. It has deadly and unalterable consequences. As a society, we trivialize war when declare wars on this and that. Likewise, we cheapen the word “warrior” when every athlete and public figure is declared a “warrior.” With that said, games as described by Jane McGonigal, are incredible teachers. Jane McGonigal’s TED Talk discusses the state of gaming in society today and some recommendations for harnessing the power of games:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world?language=en;

As humans, we learn through play. Sports almost certainly have their antecedents in preparing young people for war: teamwork, problem solving, and physical skills. At their core, games give us opportunities to get lots of repetitions solving problems, making decisions, and developing the intuition of pattern recognition under stress. As we discussed in Building Adaptive Leaders: Connecting Leader Development and Mission Command Philosophy:

Schools must constantly put students in difficult, unexpected situations, and then require them to decide and act under time pressure. Schooling must take students out of their “comfort zones.” Stress — mental and moral as well as physical — must be constant. War games, tactical decision games, map exercises, and free-play field exercises must constitute bulk of the curriculum…Research also tells us that competence in decision making is solidified by making a large number of decisions in a stressed environment.

Our ability to use games to develop ourselves and our subordinates is only limited by our imagination. Situational Training Exercises, Live-Fire Exercises, Combat Training Center Rotations are ultimately just large complex games or models of war: incomplete, imperfect, but useful nonetheless. Collectively these games develop the physical and mental skills to fight and win.

Members of the CC/PL Forums can read the whole document and supporting readings here. Leadership Counts!