What Can We Learn From Video Games?

When looking for insights into how we can all work together more effectively, there are worse places you could go than into the online environment of video games.

The sorts of games that I play, at least, have many of the same attributes that we value in the best workplaces:

• a focus on teamwork makes a difference - many squad-based setups only reward the individual players with experience points and movement up the ranks if they work together toward team-oriented goals; lone wolf tactics in team games are generally unsuccessful, and sometimes even penalized
• adaptability is a must - while a select few may be naturally gifted at the art of gaming - or software creation! - most of us discover quite quickly that we can only achieve respectable results if we adapt to each new environment; adopting an attitude of "that's just the way I am!" rarely works very well in online competition, just as it's severely limiting in Life
• clear goals can work wonders - there are few things quite as frustrating as not understanding what you're trying to achieve, and video games are becoming increasingly aware of that fact; you may be informed of your objective(s) in any number of ways (icons on a map, voice-over instructions, or even a small on-screen display of the current score) but the point is to keep everyone's eyes on the prize... which is equally sage advice for the workplace, as well!
• metrics and other forms of feedback are powerful - just as important as having goals is the understanding that reporting results will affect how people behave; one of the ways video game companies capitalize on this is by providing lots of statistics to their players; if you know that you're doing especially well with one type of weapon, for example, that may inspire you to use it even more and try to rise to the very top of the leader boards in that category; conversely, you might decide to direct your energy toward an area where you've discovered that you're below average, now that you have that data in front of you; in all cases, having more information empowers people in ways that ignorance never will
• leadership always reveals itself - if you've ever played online and watched a really good player take over a game, making the entire team better through a combination of outstanding strategy and technique, only to later discover that you were following the masterful guidance of a 12 year old kid, then you know that leaders come in all shapes and sizes; those who can, lead; those who can't, need to learn how to follow... and video games often make that distinction readily apparent in ways that questionable promotions and titles at the office seek to obscure

While admittedly somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I still hope that this post will nevertheless make all of us consider just what might be gleaned from even the most unlikely of sources... including video games!