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A few months ago, my colleague Matt wrote a great article on the lessons of storytelling from Dungeons & Dragons. This motivated me to finally share my own nerdy pastime and the lessons I’ve learnt…
I’m Tom.
I’m 35.
And I LOVE playing board games.
Correction, I love WINNING board games. I am extremely (and frustratingly, for those around me) competitive, so losing just isn’t enjoyable for me. As such, I overthink every game that I play to find the best winning strategy.
Through this unhealthy obsession, I’ve noticed that there are some useful lessons from board games that also apply to my day job in innovation and business strategy. Here are some examples.
Catan: Understanding the competitive landscape
Let’s start with a classic. Catan is a game of resources, trading, and building, but it’s also about understanding what your competitors are doing. Time and time again I’ve seen two people compete so hard over a single objective (like building the longest road), that they both end up getting beaten by someone who found another way to win. Just like in business, there are multiple routes to success and if you go head-to-head with competitors over the same resources or objectives, you’re both likely to end up losers.
The Catan lesson is to diversify and find your niche. If you can identify a market or a strategy that no one else is focusing on, you’re paving your way to success without unnecessary resistance.
Splendor: Keep your eyes on the end-game
In Splendor, players need to build production of jewels which can be used to buy points. In the late game you also have the chance to buy ultra-valuable noble cards, but these require a very specific mix of different jewels.
The gem of wisdom here is to always keep your eyes on the end-game. Building a resource engine is great, but if you’re not working towards the specifics you need for the noble cards in the late game, you’ll probably lose out to someone with more foresight.
The real world is no different. Short-term gains are good, but without a long-term vision, you might miss out on opportunities that define the future of your business. Think big and plan ahead!
Pandemic: Utilise your team's strengths
Although the subject matter is a little close to home for many, Pandemic is still a hugely popular long-running game. The objective is to work as a team to save the world against diseases with each player having random unique ability. The critical mistake I’ve seen with this game is when teams get overwhelmed by the outbreaks and treatment and lose sight of their individual abilities which are crucial to ultimate success.
In business, like in Pandemic, everyone has a special power. Understanding and harnessing these unique skills is crucial. Instead of focusing solely on the problems at hand (or diseases, in this case), assess your team’s abilities and strategise around them for a more efficient path to success.
Carcassonne: Resource management is key
Carcassonne teaches us the art of resource management. It’s a tile-placement game, where players build cities and fields, and deploy their individual tokens (called meeples) strategically across the landscape. Points are awarded based on where the meeples are placed.
The lesson here is clear: resources may seem abundant at the start, but they can deplete quickly. You need to select the right positions to place your meeples and avoid wasting them all at the start on low-scoring placements.
Every business has its own ‘meeples’, be it time, money, or people. Wise allocation of these resources, even when they feel infinite, can make or break your business strategy. Place your bets wisely!
7 Wonders: Focus for maximum impact
Last but not least, 7 Wonders imparts a simple yet profound lesson: don’t spread yourself too thin. The game is highly complex with multiple ways of gaining points which contribute to winning, but the mechanics reward players who specialise rather than those trying to collect a little bit of everything.
This is a golden rule in business too. While it’s tempting to diversify and grab every opportunity, true success often lies in focusing on a few key areas and excelling in them.
In my own field of product innovation this is particularly important – you must identify the specific job to be done that consumers care about, and ensure your product delivers on that. Totally delivering on one need is usually much more valuable than half delivering on multiple needs.
Get in touch
Hopefully this has provided some insight that will help with your next strategic challenge, (or maybe your next board game meetup!)
Reach out to us at enquiry@strat7.com if you’d like to discuss in more detail.
Check out our latest blog posts and stay tuned for more on how we approach strategy projects at STRAT7.
