For anyone who hasn’t heard of Angry birds (where have you been?), it’s the gaming phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. So strong is the Angry Birds brand that companies like Starbucks are using it to raise their own profile. But how can Angry Birds improve business performance?
Taking some of the principles of game theory and applying them to your business can reap big rewards for little or no investment. Here are a few ides to get you started:
Angry Birds has a clear achievable goal – kill the pigs and claim your golden eggs
How clear are the goals in your business and what do they mean to your employees and/or volunteers? If people don’t understand them, find no meaning in them or believe they unattainable; you’ll never get the best from them.
Angry Birds is easy to understand and play
Is everyone clear about your expectations? Have you provided the guidelines and resources to enable your staff to easily engage with you and the business?
Failure is not punished, it’s an opportunity to learn from mistakes
In Angry Birds, if you dont’ complete a round, you get to have another go. You are encouraged to learn from your failed attempts by making it easy to start the round again, even part way through. The puzzle element of the game promotes creative thinking. How does your business utilise failures and mistakes?
Angry bird characters have different skills and qualities. Using them in the right combination solves the puzzle.
Angry Birds promotes team working. By recognising and learning about individuals’ skills and qualities, you learn to make the best use from them. what are your team members’ hidden strengths?
You get unexpected achievements to keep you motivated and interested, encouraging you to complete the game.
This was the inspiration for writing the blog. As you move through the Angry Birds game, you are rewarded for your perseverance and determination, as well as your successes. Everyone knows the importance of rewarding performance, but how often does it happen? Small tokens and gestures with little or no monetary value have an amazing effect. Try it!