Repair Log 003: Leadership lesson from gaming Online
Playing competitive multiplayer games with my cousins has taught me more about communication, leadership and team dynamics than any team building event ever did.
Throughout years of playing online I learned to better understand the 3 C’s
-Command
-Control
-Communication
For these examples I'll use Call of Duty Warzone examples to keep things simple.
1.Starting with Command
In-Game:
The three of us have a different level of knowledge and skills depending on the situation. So we take that into consideration and shift command to whoever is the expert in the situation at hand.
Sometimes we do it verbally or we just fall into place intuitively.
Once command shifts, we allow that player to direct our actions.
This stops us from having to try and speak over one another and makes it easier to understand who we should be listening to.
Real world application:
I apply this daily in the military. Even though there’s a clear rank structure, sometimes it’s best to have an experienced member on a certain task take lead on it even though he may not be the highest ranking.
Situations change, that will affect how you tackle problems.
I’ve noticed applying this not only benefiting the completion of the task, but also to the development of the member leading said task.
2.Control
In-Game:
It’s understood that whoever is charge at the time will make play calls.
However we have enough awareness to adjust if needed.
Sometimes that means calling when the kill streaks will get used, or whether we engage or not.
Real World application:
Just like outside of gaming, when I’m working the guys understand when to follow orders without hesitating or when to pause and ask questions.
But at the end of the day overall control will lie within one individual.
This responsibility ensures members stay in their lanes and make themselves available for the member in control.
3.Communication (the glue)
In-Game:
Depending on who i'm playing with, I'll phrase my message differently to get my point across.
Sometimes I won't even talk, I'll just use the ping feature to let my teammate be aware of certain things.
It doesn’t matter how much knowledge you have or how well you can make decisions if no one understands what you are saying.
If you don’t believe me, spectate a teammate when they are in a high pressure situation and see how they make decisions compared to how you would’ve.
Real World application:
Your message needs to be delivered clearly and quickly.
Gaming has taught me how one message can be interpreted differently depending on who’s receiving it.
Understanding this has been key in helping me with ensuring my message gets delivered correctly.
I’ve caught myself catching when one person doesn’t understand something before it’s too late. This has helped me avoid problems before they happen.
I’m not saying that you can’t learn these skills without “playing games”.
But, considering that you’re:
-Learning to communicate with different types of teammates within a short span of time.
-Consistently getting feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
-Observing teammates react to the same situation in a completely different way.
Has provided an insane amount of data points to study to better understand the 3 C’s.
If you made it this far, here's a GIF showing us accomplishing a team wipe.
Here's what's happening.
-I tell my teammates to Ping enemy players inside the building.
-I have drill charges so I shoot some where my teammates have pinged.
-Knowing I hit them, I rush the spot to capitalize
-They aren't expecting the arrival so I was able to get the teamwipe.
So go play some games.
You know, to be a better leader or whatever.
Thanks for reading - OG