The Infinite Game – A Bold Framework for Leadership In Today’s Ever-changing World.

| Author: Simon Sinek, 2019 |

What's it all About?

This is the 3^rd book report I have done on Simon! Building off of his previous concepts, there are two games you can be in. The one most of us are more familiar evolves around the next day’s results or perhaps this quarters profits – the finite game. The alternative is the infinite game with purpose, building off his first book, Starts With Why. You may argue some of the concepts are repeated, however if you are into this topic, this book will not disappoint you!

When you get that leaders are responsible for the people who are responsible for the results, then this book is for you. Great stories and facts to get you thinking about the long term, the overall purpose for you and your organization.

Hits of dopamine by hitting your goals, can leave you feeling empty and looking for the next challenge. When you have a higher vision, you get out of that loop of just making next quarters targets higher. There are such better ways to engage teams, no wonder the common workplace complains they cannot get their people engaged!

Favourite Quote

“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.”

Biggest Takeaway

I am a fan of structure and systems – procedures really do help manufacturing. However, the industry greats are separated by people, people, people.

Ethical fading was my biggest takeaway which is a people problem. We need people, not procedures, to fix people problems. We can focus on short term goals, however, to act ethically on a regular basis, you need a longer-term goal to keep you on the straight and arrow. As humans, we adjust to our environments – and if you are working for a company that is focused on the next quarter results, it is easier to fade your ethical standards. These must be guarded, and this is hard work, clearly the leader’s responsibility.

Reviewed by: Trevor Blondeel, February 13, 2021

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Mindfulness Manufacturing

Our show is about providing listeners with real stories that come from a place of experience, transparency, and authenticity. Most importantly it’s about what we learn from these stories and applying Mindfulness in our everyday work and personal lives.
Our intention is to create an environment where people can learn through open honest discussions on how we apply Mindfulness. Although our experiences and stories come from time in a manufacturing environment hence the title “Mindfulness Manufacturing”, we still see our discussions and topics relatable to any organization or profession.

When a mistake occurs on the plant floor, your mind might jump to one question: who caused this issue, and should I write them up for their mistake? But there’s a more productive approach you could be taking—and in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, guest Dr. Jake Mazulewicz breaks it all down!

With a background as a firefighter, EMT, and military paratrooper, Jake knows the challenges of high-hazard industries, and works with organizations to reduce errors and create safer, more reliable workplace environments. In this episode, Jake shares why you can’t procedularize everything, including the way you handle errors and accidents, and offers great insights and stories about how to use connection and curiosity to improve safety, address errors, and strengthen your organization.

3:35 – Procedures and policies are the work that is imagined, and on the floor is how the work actually gets done

4:19 – The work as-done is almost always radically different than the work as-imagined

5:20 – Even when you have standards and people show up wanting to do a good job, you can still see issues that need to be addressed

6:44 – There will always be areas that absolutely need to have procedures in place

8:02 – There are also adaptive jobs, which leans less into procedures and more intro troubleshooting and tacit human knowledge

10:56 – In an ideal environment, both mechanistic and adaptive models are used and respected and needed

12:11 – There are four levels, ranging from strict procedurals to looser guidelines that show what to do, but not how to do it

15:36 – Tacit knowledge gets shared through conversations

16:22 – A way to share important information is to have frontline experts record videos sharing their insights to problems, especially those that are not covered in procedures

19:44 – Through conversation and connection, more knowledge is shared

21:58 – Debriefing also plays a central role

23:45 – If you have strong discipline, you’ll find more freedom

25:31 – In most situations, errors are signals, not defects

27:07 – When an error occurs, be curious and find the deeper cause of the problem

Connect with Jake Mazulewicz

Find him on Linkedin

Visit his website