The principles of SERVANT-Leadership and The Great Game of Business (GGOB)* share many traits. GGOB (also known simply as, “The Great Game”) is an approach to business management where you ensure all stakeholders understand the core business operations, high level financial statements, and key numbers. The intent is to inform and engage all employees in business planning and operations, while having fun. Businesses following the GGOB game plan will find great alignment with the principles of SERVANT-Leadership.
Are you following the GGOB game plan and seek a leadership development program? Or, are you applying SERVANT-Leadership in your organization and need a growth system for your business? Here is how the two concepts may align for your business.
Common Themes
The Great Game of Business and SERVANT-Leadership share 3 common themes at the highest level. These themes are: simplifying concepts, focusing on all stakeholders, and challenging conventional thinking.
- Simplify Concepts
The Acronym Model of SERVANT-Leadership® distills dozens of leadership models and hundreds of attributes to seven core principles. This makes it easier to build better bosses. Similarly, GGOB tackles business financial concepts normally only taught to business students and simplifies them to the concept of a game, like Monopoly. This makes it easier to build better businesses. - Focus on All Stakeholders
A cornerstone of SERVANT-Leadership requires great leaders to serve all stakeholders: employees, customers, investors, the community, and more. GGOB emphasizes the importance of educating and engaging employees at all levels, which in turn benefits customers, and investors. - Challenge Conventional Thinking
Conventional wisdom suggests leadership is an achievement to reach. SERVANT-Leadership challenges that thinking, defining leadership as a commitment to serve others. Conventional wisdom also argues that only certain employees can – or should – understand how the business operates and be involved in planning. GGOB challenges that thinking by teaching that the business benefits from the education and engagement of all employees in business operations and planning.
Three Principles of The Great Game of Business
Through its application, The Great Game of Business advocates three core principles: Educate, Empower, and Engage . Here is how they align with the principles of SERVANT-Leadership:
- EDUCATE: Know and teach the rules of business
In SERVANT-Leadership, we advocate being Thorough. This requires a focus on long-term results over short-term gains and engaging issues at a detailed level. In GGOB, all employees are educated on the business so they act like owners. This means educating and engaging stakeholders on financial transparency, corporate planning, and business goals. - EMPOWER: Follow the action and keep score
GGOB emphasizes the importance of “Forward Forecasting”. This is when leaders and their teams commit to measurable results and “Keeping Score”. By keeping score through reports and game-like dashboards, everyone knows who is winning or losing. This level of commitment to results and shared accountability is represented in SERVANT-Leadership through the principle or Resolve. - ENGAGE: Provide a stake in the outcome
The Nonpartisan principle in SERVANT-Leadership emphasizes the importance of including stakeholders from anywhere, (almost) any time. A SERVANT-Leader must engage stakeholders at all levels, if they are to be a successful leader. GGOB places critical importance on establishing an all-inclusive bonus plan, that engages employees at all levels, so they are committed to the results for the entire business.
Where these three principles overlap in GGOB, is the “Critical Number”. The Critical Number is, “the one metric… …that represents a weakness or vulnerability that, if not addressed and corrected, will negatively impact the overall performance and long-term security of the business.” SERVANT-Leadership also has a core concept at the overlap of its seven principles. The core of SERVANT-Leadership principles is the focus on serving all stakeholders. When leaders become too focused on one stakeholder group for too long, it creates a weakness that could topple the organization.
Interested in Learning More?
Whether you have a great leadership development program in place and need a business growth system or your business is growing, but you need better leadership development, you cannot go wrong with these options. If you want to learn more about SERVANT-Leadership or The Great Game of Business….
- SERVANT-Leadership: If you are interested in developing servant-leadership at your business, please, find a time to chat with Ben Lichtenwalner.
- The Great Game of Business: If you’re interested in finding out more about GGOB, check out their website or pick up a copy of the book.
Until next time, keep serving.
______
*ModernServantLeader.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Great Game of Business (but it would be an honor).
