Companies that focus on winning on the short run and on dominating their competitors play a finite game in an infinite universe, resulting in less trust, collaboration and innovation within the team. In an infinite game, the goal is not to be THE best, but simply to be better every day, true to the goal that drives us.
Using (American) examples, the author describes the characteristics of the leader who chooses the infinite game: driven by a higher purpose, he creates trust, draws inspiration from his rivals, acts flexibly. He has the courage to lead. This book invites us to reflect on the meaning of our work, our leadership practices and our tendency to play the end game in our organizations.
“So many leaders, even some of the best-intentioned ones, often ask, “how do I get the most out of my people?” This is a flawed question, however. A better question to ask is, “How do I create an environment in which my people can work to their best?”