How to improve management skills by playing games

Most business managers move in a competitive and dynamic environment in has no time for leisure. However, some companies in Latin America are beginning to use time to promote through their HR departments, video games that increase skills such as creativity, teamwork, conflict and resolution.

A game developer and an expert in organizational management was interviewed to understand how video games can become a good tool for executives of large companies to develop their skills.

Playing games teaches you to manage better.

In Latin America there are several companies in countries like Spain, Mexico and Panama, who use video games as tools to enhance the capabilities of its executives. There are even airlines, armed forces and other organizations that have real studies that train simulation using video games.

Many company executives combine their professional lives with family, and because of that they feel that they have no time to play games. However, strategy games can develop good managerial skills because of the intensive and experiential way real situations are created which can bring professional skills into play. We can also self-observe and receive feedback and significant contingent on people performance. Games may be theoretical references however they can be finally reapplied an business situation. This also encourages acquisition of skills of a learning laboratory model.

A Spanish gaming company composed of professionals linked to computers, technology and education, has released five games and a simulator focused on increasing leadership capabilities. They are very much convinced that games are a fundamental element in the development of skills used in Business.

Even companies like IBM and Seriosity, have developed power studies on how leadership, productivity and innovation in online games and have created a platform that aims at the enterprise application.

Thanks to this research, they have discovered how a number of characteristics of video games could be implemented in organizations: The information sharing, collaboration, transparency, recognition of achievements are skills that you will find in video games.

Multiplayer games are also good for recognizing which members of staff are able to work together efficiently. A typical game maybe require you to cooperate and communicate in order to achieve a set goal. Regardless of skill, poor communication and team work will result in failure. This is exactly the same in a business.

e.g. our enemies (competition) are trying to attack a base (area of sales). If you can hold down the fort (keep a good hold on our clients), while you attack the base (pick up more clients). We can achieve a common goal. Single player action games will of course be non productive and waste time, but the right multiplayer games can have an impact on the overall relationship of a business.

Despite the benefits video games can bring to to the directors, it should be clear that there are also risks associated with overuse. The selected games should be strictly used to develop skills for business and not simply some to do to kill time or simply for pleasure. I employees find it relevant than they will see it as useful.

In addition, to implement this technology within companies, there must be a specialist who administers it makes sure it is being put to goods use and not just wasting people's time.

Another risk is that this technology could actually increase the use of cognitive skills related to the situation in the game, with little use of emotion, which is an element contributing to the effective action of the people. This can encourage an impairment in achieving greater management skills.

Finally, we must bear in mind that there are other alternatives to increase the skills of executives. There are activities such as Assessment Comprehensive Centers, internships or project management training, but these could be a more expensive alternative.