Kick-Starting your Game: Your Questions Answered

You asked and we've answered! In this blog series, our experienced Great Game coaches answer questions directly from the open-book community.

What is the best coaching tip you have for companies just starting to practice the Great Game of Business?

• Be sure the CEO is fully bought in, directly involved, is a main cheerleader, sets the example, and ensures that all involved (especially 100& of the leadership team) are enrolled and on board. Period!
   
• Create a solid communication and business literacy training process via a weekly Huddle rhythm.

• Don't try to be too perfect! You will learn new things every day and will stumble ... but JUST KEEP GOING! As Tom Peters said in his book In Search of Excellence, "Do it, Try it, Fix it!" The first step is simply to begin and improvements can be made from there. 
• People support what help create. It's essential to involve your whole team in the creation of MiniGames™, your weekly Huddles, and your Game overall rather than telling them about it and expecting them to be fully engaged. 

What is your best advice for dealing with a "doubter" inside your company... someone who is skeptical of GGOB?

• The CEO should have one-on-one's to get to the root of their beliefs/lack of support. Ask for their support - get them to try it for six months. Have regular one-on-one meetings during that time frame to touch base and find small successes to encourage support. 
• A) Educate and and involve - people people intrinsically fear change and sometimes they resist because they haven't grasped the concepts and are simply afraid or B) If A doesn't work, then try to find them a position with a competitor.
• Sometimes you need to have a quiet, non-threatening conversation with doubters ... doubters about anything. Ask them a few questions and really listen to what is in their heads! This will give you insight to what challenges need to be overcome to get them fully engaged in The Game. 

(Read more about skeptical employees and GGOB doubters in our blog Meet the Original Doubter of Open-Book Management.)

In your experience, what is the biggest mistake companies make when practicing GGOB?  What are your recommendations for avoiding this mistake?

• They don't take the time or have the patience to continually educate and work on the Game. The education needs to be constant and repetitive.
• Leadership doesn't let the people run The Game, but control it themselves. Remember, people support what they help create and need to be involved in the creation of The Game, MiniGames, annual plan etc. 
• It's not just sharing numbers and creating a bonus plan. If you're not doing a GGOB-style weekly forecasting Huddle and taking it seriously, that's a big mistake.
• Focusing on the negative. Instead, look at small progress or milestones and highlight those in Huddles or by recognizing employees for their work individually. 
• Not sticking with it and holding those in leadership accountable for good Game-play. Without disciplined structure found in GGOB's practices, you won't see maximum results.
  
  Thank you to these members of the GGOB coaching network for their input on these pressing questions: Kevin Walter, Chris McKittrick, Bill Collier,  and Jack O'Riley 
  
  

Looking for more on how to increase employee engagement? Join us for our next workshop focusing on Implementation + Strategic Planning.

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