The Infinite Game

by Simon Sinek

“I will go up and out. I need you to go down and in” is how she framed her responsibility every time she took a new command. If the top person needs to focus on “up and out,” then we need their title to help frame their primary responsibility.

they are stepping into the role of a “Chief Vision Officer,” or CVO. That is the primary job of the person who sits at the pointy end of the spear. They are the holder, communicator and protector of the vision.

It is not technology that explains failure; it is less about technology, per se, and more about the leaders’ failure to envision the future of their business as the world changes around them.

By buying back its own shares, based on the laws of supply and demand, they temporarily increase demand for their stock, which temporarily drives up the price (which temporarily makes the executives look good).

The result is obvious—Wall Street forces companies to do things they shouldn’t do and discourages them from doing things they should.

It is now self-evident that we need a new definition of the responsibility of business that better aligns with the idea that business is an infinite game.

The three pillars—to advance a purpose, protect people and generate a profit—seem to be essential in the Infinite Game. America’s founders inspired a nation to come together to advance Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

A better question to ask is, “How do I create an environment in which my people can work to their natural best?”

A Circle of Safety is a necessary condition for trust to exist. It describes an environment in which people feel psychologically safe to be vulnerable around their colleagues. Safe to admit mistakes, point out gaps in their training, share their fears and anxieties and, of course, ask for help with the confidence that others will support them instead of using that information against them.

leaders are not responsible for the results, leaders are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results. And the best way to drive performance in an organization is to create an environment in which information can flow freely, mistakes can be highlighted and help can be offered and received.

I was more concerned with comparing arbitrary ratings than I was with advancing my own Cause. I devoted too much time and energy to worrying about what he was doing rather than focusing that energy on how I could be better at what I do.

In the Infinite Game we accept that “being the best” is a fool’s errand and that multiple players can do well at the same time.

Even though the world around them has changed, for over 40 years Apple has found Worthy Rivals to help keep them focused on the very cause upon which the company was founded.

Cause Blindness blunts humility and exaggerates arrogance, which in turn stunts innovation

Having a rival worthy of comparison does not mean that their cause is moral, ethical or serves the greater good. It just means they excel at certain things and reveal to us where we can make improvements.

What got us here won’t get us there, and knowing who our

It is an infinite-minded player’s appreciation for the unpredictable that allows them to make these kinds of changes.

Existential Flexibility is always offensive. It is not to be confused with the defensive maneuvering many companies undergo to stay alive in the face of new technology or changing consumer habits.

Bowing to the pressure of the finite players around us is the easy and expedient choice. This is why it takes courage to adopt an infinite mindset.