By Edward Ball
To play the game how it is supposed to be played you must first know the rules. Knowledge of the rules gives you an opportunity to play the game at a higher level. In addition, you can stay in the game if you play by the rules. Staying in the game longer and playing at a higher level gives you more opportunities to develop.
When I left prison I was given an opportunity in the form of a job. I went to work every day and did what I was supposed to. I played by the rules of the game. People took notice and gave me ideas, information, and opportunities to grow, develop and advance. Eventually I was promoted to a leadership/management position.
Playing the game how it goes allowed me to keep my job and it allowed me to move up in the organization. The move up gave me the opportunity to receive management and leadership training and experiences that cultivated transferable skills. Overall my personal development process was given a boost. Learning about concepts I would not have access to if I wasn’t a manager and finding myself in situations that test a variety of my skills forced me to quickly develop on a personal level and a professional one. The speed at which I had to develop in areas I lacked was shadowed by the quality of development.
My peers who are stuck in the same positions or no longer have a job because they didn’t play by the rules aren’t adding value to their personal development the way I am. If I broke all the rules I wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to continuously add to my growth.
Playing the game how it goes opens doors. Once those doors open your personal and professional development can be accelerated and the quality of your development can be enhanced. If you are in the game for the long haul (you will be if you play by the rules) you will continue to receive opportunities and resources to develop and become the best you can be.
