Are you a Chess Leader or Jigsaw Leader?

In the alphabet soup of leadership styles, there are only two kinds that matter.?It’s not whether you’re a compassionate leader or empathetic leader or even inspirational leader.?It's whether you are a chess leader or jigsaw leader.

The first time I heard of Manuel Pastor and the work of the Equity Research Institute was during his keynote at the NewSchools Summit.?He was speaking about the 10 elements of movement making in transforming the educational landscape.?Recently, I was revisiting these 10 elements in Dr. Pastor's keynote to Bioneers and in closing, he referenced a concept from Victor Quitano that there are only two kinds of leaders in this world - leaders who like the game of chess and those who like jigsaw puzzles.

As Dr. Pastor describes:

Chess Leaders and their world view:

• There are only two different colors often black and white
• Some pieces are more powerful than others.?We have a visceral reaction when a queen is captured by a pawn.
• You get ahead by knocking someone off their territory
• The object is to win

Jigsaw Leaders and their world view:

• In jigsaw puzzles, there are many different colors.?A single piece can be multi-hue.
• Every piece is important down to the last piece
• You get ahead by fitting the pieces so seamlessly that you don’t know where one ends and the other begins
• The object is to complete the tapestry

How do we get more leaders who like to play chess to build more jigsaw puzzles??

Start Small: ?If you’re new to jigsaw, you start small - perhaps 10 pieces??With fewer larger pieces, you can clearly see the connections of the lines and colors.?Once each puzzle is done and you feel the satisfaction of seeing the finished product, you're more likely to try another one. Scientists have found that "the brain can be trained to feed off of bursts of dopamine sparked by rewarding experiences." When you’re ready to graduate to more complex puzzles, not only will there be more pieces, but the differences in shades and variations in color will be more subtle.?Sometimes two pieces may seem to fit “perfectly” into a position, but there can be only one.?The challenge of finding that last piece is its own reward.

See the Big Picture: ?When you’re working on a jigsaw, it’s hard to see the big picture for the little pieces.?It’s important therefore to have a vision (aka the picture on the box) as a reference point for what you’re trying to create.?When you become demotivated because the puzzle building is going too slow, you have to remind yourself that slow and steady progress will eventually allow you to achieve your goals more quickly. It is important for leaders to frequently remind their teams of the business objectives and when conflicts arise, common goals will serve as the anchor.

Invite Others to Play:?Unlike chess, jigsaw puzzles does not have to be a two player game.?At Google pre-pandemic, it was not uncommon to go to a booth by a micro-kitchen and see a half finished puzzle laid out for everyone to participate.?Not only is the objective to “complete the tapestry” but the process itself. A diversity to players may help you see the puzzle differently.?Some will use lines to connect the pieces while others will use color or the curves of the edges to figure out the puzzle.?Even the most novice jigsaw players can contribute. By bringing more people into the mix, you’ll be able to make progress more efficiently and effectively.

We need more leaders and teams to see the world as a jigsaw.?Which game will you play?