It's All Just a Game

Communication

Cameron Daigle

It's All Just a Game

by Cameron Daigle

In his talk titled "It's All Just a Game" at the Ancient City Ruby 2016 conference, Cameron Daigle explores how archetypes from game theory can enhance understanding of personalities and motivations in meetings. Daigle emphasizes that every individual brings unique objectives and interaction styles to meetings, paralleling this dynamic with role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) and Magic: The Gathering.

Key points include:
- Understanding Motivation: It is essential to grasp what motivates each participant in a meeting to foster a collaborative environment.
- Game Dynamics: Drawing from D&D, he exemplifies how social hierarchies affect interactions in both games and meetings, where mutual trust and engagement are crucial.
- Player Archetypes: Daigle identifies various archetypes found in gaming contexts—such as the Actor, Explorer, and Instigator—and correlates them with real-world meeting dynamics. Recognizing these traits helps create more productive interactions.
- Types of Engagement: He introduces insights from Mark Rosewater’s archetypes (Timmy, Johnny, Spike) and Richard Bartle’s descriptor types (Killers, Achievers, Socializers, Explorers) to classify meeting participants, highlighting their distinct motivations and how these impact teamwork.
- Importance of Trust: Trust forms the foundation of successfully navigated meetings, where establishing rapport can lead to enhanced communication and better outcomes.
- Practical Application: Daigle stresses that understanding these dynamics isn’t about manipulation but about fostering genuine connections and understanding during discussions.

To conclude, Daigle advocates for applying principles derived from gaming to facilitate smoother and more engaging meetings, encouraging attendees to embrace these archetypes and dynamics for improved teamwork and interaction. The core takeaway is that awareness and empathy toward varying motivations among meeting participants can lead to stronger collaboration and communication overall.

00:00:00 Hello everyone! I'm Cameron Daigle, and I want to thank you all for being here today.

00:00:09 This is the fourth conference, which means that Daniel, Rye, and I, the design team, have been stressing about what to do for the fifth one. However, I feel like this conference gets better and better each year. You guys are amazing!

00:00:21 The energy level is really high this year, and I want to take a moment to thank the design team. They have gone above and beyond this year. Daniel, are you here? There he is in the middle. He's the guy who stayed up nights with Shay, a former Rocketeer, to make this podium and everything else you received today.

00:00:39 All the items in your bags are the result of blood, sweat, and tears—mostly sweat—and I just want to say thank you; it's truly awesome.

00:01:09 Today, I am going to talk about meetings. I hope that's okay! There are no websites, no internet code, or regular code in this talk, so prepare yourselves.

00:01:23 I work with the team at Hashrocket, and this is an outtake of a team photo that I don't think anyone has seen because I am the one who takes the photos. We create websites, apps, and software, but a huge part of our job involves learning about people, communication, business models we've never encountered, and building relationships.

00:01:43 This understanding allows us to get things done and helps our clients trust our expertise when it comes to making changes, even when those adjustments are hard. So, I will discuss how to understand people in meetings, empathize with them, and see their points of view, which in turn helps them trust you and your expertise.

00:02:09 I'll start with some quotes from a management book I like called 'Run the Table' by Alphonse Talking Torn. It discusses how understanding people's motivations and what they enjoy in a meeting helps you build a harmonious group. It’s your responsibility to know and understand each person well enough to ensure they get along, work well together, and enjoy the meetings you run.

00:02:28 Everyone is different, and each person has their expectations when entering a meeting. While there is an overall goal for the meeting, personal goals can vary greatly.

00:02:55 Now, I have to come clean: this is not a real management book. I created this cover in Photoshop, and those quotes are actually my own, just me swapping out the words 'game' with 'meeting' and 'players' with 'people.' This talk originated from a few years ago; I didn't grow up playing Dungeons and Dragons or tabletop games, but I listened to a podcast from Penny Arcade where they played D&D.

00:03:19 I was struck by how conversational it was. The game systems facilitate conversation rather than the other way around. Some friends and I picked up D&D and played a few times over Skype and Justin.tv. It inspired me to purchase the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Player's Handbook, which have insights on understanding people and how to facilitate gameplay.

00:03:43 Oh, and by the way, Alphonse Talking Torn is not an actual author — he's actually the character I played last time. The idea of this talk centers around the social dynamics and anxiety people experience, especially if you are the Dungeon Master or even just a participant in a meeting.

00:04:07 Everyone shares an overarching goal in meetings but has their individual ones. The Dungeon Master's goal is to keep players interested and involved much like in a meeting where everyone gathers to accomplish something while staying engaged.

00:04:30 Octavian Costa, who worked on Gmail and Google Maps, noted the value of in-person meetings, stating that it is hard to reinforce decisions without them. When discussing architectural choices, the information shared can flow like a river, illustrating how overwhelming it can be.

00:04:55 Everyone has different specializations and may get distracted by various aspects without wanting to speak up. Going back to the Dungeon Master's Guide, you must know the kind of game your players want to play. The best way to achieve this is by learning their desires and topics of interest.

00:05:19 While we are discussing understanding people, I want to address the Dungeon Master's Guide for designers. It emphasizes that understanding the properties that engage desires and behaviors is critical. Game designers must grasp which aspects appeal to players' interests.

00:05:36 In essence, even if you're not the one running a meeting, you may still be 'micro-running' it. Whoever is speaking controls the group's attention, making it essential to comprehend how to engage and understand those around you.

00:06:00 In Dungeons and Dragons, characters are aligned along specific axes—lawful, neutral, chaotic and good, neutral, or evil. This alignment applies not only to the characters in the game but also to real people. It's essential to understand these classifications.

00:06:18 The Dungeon Master's Guide outlines different types of players: the Actor enjoys developing and portraying a character; the Explorer immerses themselves in an expansive fictional world; the Instigator creates excitement; the Power Gamer focuses on optimizing strategies; the Slayer wants to quest; the Storyteller enjoys narrative continuity.

00:06:39 Then we have the Thinker, who enjoys solving strategic challenges, and the Watcher, who is there for social interaction. These different classifications offer insights into motivations and personalities, particularly in the context of collaboration and teamwork.

00:07:05 I was amazed that a game book contained substantial management advice, leading me to search for more resources about psychographics. However, my search on Amazon revealed a lot of marketing-focused books, which wasn't what I was looking for. I'm not trying to sell something to people in meetings; I'm trying to communicate and learn about them.

00:07:22 The longest meetings we have at Hashrocket are story carding sessions, usually three solid days of wireframing and discussing ideas. At that point, you're not just shaking hands—you're often starting relationships that last anywhere from six weeks to several months.

00:07:38 So I returned to discussing games, particularly Magic: The Gathering. This game shares the same people-dynamics challenges as meetings, where players need to enjoy their interactions, especially since they purchase cards and build collections.

00:07:54 Mark Rosewater, the creative director, has developed archetypes around the player experience—Timmy, Johnny, and Spike. Each design aspect aims to engage one of these archetypes during gameplay. Timmy, for example, seeks big wins.

00:08:12 Timmy typically wins big but only occasionally. What matters most is that exciting moment, rather than consistent wins. The cards designed for Timmy aim to deliver extraordinary outcomes.

00:08:31 Next is Johnny, who enjoys creativity and winning with unexpected strategies. They strive for clever card combinations that others overlook, seeking to innovate and impress.

00:08:49 Then comes Spike, who is all about winning and competes passionately to outperform others. In a meeting context, these archetypes can help identify individual motivations and how people relate to teamwork.

00:09:11 It's crucial to recognize that these archetypes aren't absolute; people possess various facets that may reflect these traits. Timmy tends to be the cheerful optimist, while Johnny thrives on tackling challenging tasks and surprises.

00:09:27 Spike tends toward competitiveness, which can create tension if not managed well. Understanding these dynamics can significantly improve how meetings are facilitated.

00:09:47 Furthermore, Richard Bartle developed a classification system for gamer personalities in multiplayer settings. He provided insights into how personality types align with player motivations.

00:10:07 Bartle identified four player archetypes: Killers, Achievers, Socializers, and Explorers, each with unique motivations and interactions within the gaming community.

00:10:24 Reflecting on these archetypes, we can leverage them to better facilitate meetings by understanding who is prone to acting aggressively, pursuing achievement, social desires, or seeking explorative experiences.

00:10:44 Recognizing these tendencies enables smoother communication and dynamic interactions, ultimately promoting cohesion within your group.

00:11:04 So, applying these insights, we could redefine Bartle's concepts into the framework of discovery versus achievement in a workplace setting, considering how each member relates to both concepts.

00:11:23 In meetings, those focused on achievement prioritize tangible outcomes, while those leaning toward discovery emphasize relational dynamics and flourishing conversations.

00:11:44 For instance, you may encounter a person named Ryan, who is driven by achievement and wants recognition for their successes. It's beneficial to have this person on board, as they will remain committed and stimulating in a meeting.

00:12:05 Next, there’s Daria, who thrives on discovery and nurturing relationships. Daria enjoys fostering connections and may prefer less structured, more casual meetings.

00:12:27 However, if competition is too prevalent or focused on systems rather than people, Daria may disengage.

00:12:48 On the tech side, there's Ace, who is also focused on achievement but may become overly structured due to the ambition for project management. This can result in others feeling left behind.

00:13:09 Lastly, there's Jack, who loves to discover knowledge about technology but can struggle with interpersonal connections, potentially isolating themselves from the team.

00:13:30 As we reflect on these individual characteristics, it's essential to remember not only the positive aspects but also areas where each archetype may need consideration.

00:13:50 You have unique strengths and weaknesses that contribute to your collaborative work. Understanding this diversity within the group enhances teamwork and eases communication.

00:14:08 This understanding does not aim to manipulate or market relationships; it seeks connection, ensuring engagement during meetings or conversations.

00:14:28 Recognizing these tendencies in yourself is the first step towards figuring out how to empathize with others. This will lead to greater communication and understanding within your team.

00:14:49 One more concept I'd like to share from the book 'Managing Humans' by Michael Lopp. He presents a hierarchy of a company, illustrating that the product sits at the top, followed by processes and people, celebrating the unity between them.

00:15:09 Changes to the foundational pitch affect everything, and failure at this level can lead to structural issues throughout the organization.

00:15:30 In meetings, especially with new teams, we often can't start at fundamental issues; we must build rapport first, demonstrating the value of engaging successfully.

00:15:52 Trust is paramount. Building a relationship with clients who attend meetings means making a difference and illustrating why we're there.

00:16:12 As Dungeon Masters, our players should learn to trust us. Trust can be gained slowly and requires consistent, respectful interaction.

00:16:34 This idea transcends gaming and applies to meetings; we must set the stage for successful dialogue. If you’re in charge, your responsibility is to facilitate the conversation and ensure everyone feels empowered.

00:16:56 Understanding, empathy, and active listening allow us to connect meaningfully, promoting success in meetings and conversations.

00:17:12 Thank you for your attention and willingness to think about this approach. I hope you apply these concepts and gain new insights during your upcoming meetings.

Ancient City Ruby 2016