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Monday, July 23, 2007

Chess - Every move counts

Chess - a fascinating game, has many vivid moves each having their own individual charm, which shows the players wits and brilliance. More than that, it teaches how team work wins the day, how each peice has its own individuality and personality, how it can be made to contribute if it is positioned at a vantage point, all pieces have their limitations too, but when they are orchestrated by a Master, they drum up a harmony .. unmatched.

To me chess represents Life. Life includes our work place and personal space at home. Lets discuss teams at our work place first, and try to formulate the team leaders action plans, much of them can be derived from chess! Its of utmost importance to realise that on a chess board there just cannot be 32 Queens !!. There will be pawns ( half of them :) ) , they are there because they are part of the system, and they are supposed to serve a purpose, a team leads job is determine that purpose. You as a team leader or a person with authority should realise this fact and learn to place this pawn at a place from where he / she supports the whole team in the best way possible. So dont crib and discard the team members who dont seem to be shining stars and have limited imagination.
Then have a look at your rooks bishops and knights.. Know that they have an individual style of working -- as a team lead respect that.. Give them "that space" where they feel free to practice their art. Also note and appreciate the fact that in all probability there will be only one queen in your team :). Use him/her discretely :) be aware of his capacity and also audacity at times. Every time your queen makes a move do keep a margin for his proclivity for exaggeration too.
Doesnt chess teaches us that. We can have wonderful results from a team which does infact consist of all "types" of members, the catch is that the team lead needs to know individual strengths and weaknesses.
What would chess teach me in my personal space at home. It teaches me to have foresight and REALISE that every single CORRECT move that i make today, inches me closer to the final win. Chess inspires me to think that yes indeed its important to win the battles the skirmishes.. if you want to win the WAR. Chess teaches me caution and to be a paranoid to some degree , i never find anything wrong in questioning your own decisions, this doesnt make you a fickle. It helps you improve your original decision. Who said you made a master piece in one stroke ? It takes lot of information , research , opinions, soul searching in order to make a very important decision. So do all that and more if required. A well researched decision will see you travel farther than one taken in haste. Chess also teaches me that you have to pay for what decisions you make, you wholly solely are responsible for the consequences, so.. for example .watch out before you let that scathing sarcastic remark about that person. Words are like Arrows which once out cannot be retrieved.
So that was my check and mate for you. :)

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