We all like to play games. Cards, board games, Left, Right, Center, Cornhole.
Would we play a game that we have no chance of winning? If you’ve played heads I win, tails you lose, or 52 pickup, I believe the answer is no.
I’m not much of a gambler. I’m too controlling to leave that much to chance. I do go to Vegas quite a bit for conferences though. I’m not the one sitting in the seats at the Casino when I go, but plenty of people do. I’ve done a fair amount of work in the gaming industry. Some has been with Casino’s but most has been with online gambling or software companies offering predictive analytics aimed at the gaming industry. Before the science, psychology, data, etc. came into the picture as a result of those types of companies, it was known that Vegas was built on winners. Conventional wisdom might tell you that Vegas was built on losers – people who lost all of their money there, but Vegas was built on winners. The person who lost $1,000 at the Blackjack table on Saturday but won $150 playing Craps on Sunday. The person walking through the Casino who decided to pull the lever on the slot machine and won $10. They recognize that there is a chance to win which keeps them coming back. Technology and data have taken it to a whole new level. It concludes that it’s not winning or losing that is exciting, it’s the moment immediately before the outcome of winning or losing that is addictive. It’s that feeling that keeps us coming back.
Without the chance of winning, however remote, what does Vegas look like? A barren desert.
What does this mean for us? “A barren desert” is not a desirous tagline!
If we want people in the game, we need to demonstrate that there is a path to winning. Not that there isn’t a lot of hard work that goes into it, or a bit of luck, or that it’s certain by any means. Vegas Casinos provide classes on certain games to teach people how to play and win. Likewise, we need to provide training, mentoring and guidance (formal or informal) on how to win at our firm’s game whether that means a partner promotion or a career staff position.
And we need to demonstrate that winning with our firm is worth it. What does it mean if I win? Content for another blog…
Will our staff and partner candidates want to play? Are they up for the challenge? Accountants chose one of the hardest undergraduate majors and picked a path that requires one of the toughest professional certifications. Many go on to get Master’s degrees. Are they faint of heart?
I’m betting heavy on this crew!