Welcome as I share more from “I’m a Millionaire! So Now What?”. On this short solo episode, I’m sharing more insights and analogies on People, Players and Pawns and how they tie into The Queen’s Gambit, the theme for Elevated Conversations - a virtual roundtable for CEOs, founder/business owners, entrepreneurs, and smart investors.
Today I want to expand on last week’s podcast strategy vs tactics and how this relates to people, players, and pawns. So many of my guests have shared how important a team is. So, I want to make the connection between teams and the players on the chessboard.
There’s a whole line of pawns that don’t seem important. But don’t overlook them. Every person on a team must be part of your business strategy. Don't dismiss your staff because they are potentially not in a non-senior decision-making role. What if they weren't there? They’re often the first point of contact with a client or customer. So, in chess they’d be the first line of defence, or the first line of offense. Interesting, right?
Leveraging your team
Just like in chess where you need to leverage your pawn, you need to leverage your people. Not in the sense that you’re using them, but that each member of the team will help the business move forward with the special gifts they have, while getting their own fulfilment and advancing their career. And this was February’s topic for Elevated Conversations: Drafting your Dream Team.
Your team is larger than your paid staff
There are also team members who are not necessarily your paid staff, just like in chess you have the rook, bishops, and knights. These could be your mentors, coaches, business consultants, accountants, lawyers, bankers, etc. These people are also our team and players and should be on your business chessboard. What role do they play for you?
Every pawn can become a queen
In chess, the queen is the most versatile, powerful player. But every pawn has the upward mobility to become a queen, if they can make it across the board, which, of course, is just another analogy. Any one individual has the potential to go from an entry level position in your company to becoming your CEO or CMO or even a competitor. Don’t overlook them.
I hope you’re inspired to take the time to listen to the podcast.
I'll be back next week to share further analogies from The Queen's Gambit as we lead up to Elevated Conversations. And get ready for a full line up of guest interviews coming soon.
If you’d like to chat more about strategy and tactics, join me and eight business owners, investors, and entrepreneurs for our Queen’s Gambit-themed edition of Elevated Conversations taking place (virtually!) on April 29th at 11am.
And please reach out if you would like to connect. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking to exit, or at the helm of a thriving business or startup, I would love to talk with you about your stories! You can drop me a line here.