The infinite game

by Shawn Temple, On The Mark Strategies

I recently read “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek. Great book. I highly recommend it. It certainly fits nicely into this idea that I’m so passionate about: helping organizations succeed by getting healthier through trust, clarity, alignment and discipline.

The central tenet of the book is that there are two types of games in business—the finite game and the infinite game. Too many companies obsess with playing, and trying to win, in the ‘finite’ game. Like a sports game, the finite game has a specified beginning, ending, timeframe, rules and score.

But in business, such a thing doesn’t really exist (with the exception of a private equity firm’s intent to build up a company for the sole purpose of selling it for profit). And in credit unions and community banks, playing a finite game with a finite mindset should never happen.

Learn To Play the Infinite Game

We need to learn how to play a different game—an infinite game. To do so, we need to have an infinite mindset. Sinek says in the book:

 

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