How Dungeon Mastering is strikingly similar to running an engineering team
Even though we continue to Shelter in Place, it is exciting to know there is light at the end of tunnel with vaccines on the way! While this has slowed us down in some aspects, in our house it has also become a catalyst for exploring interesting ways to be creative and adventurous. I recently had an idea to run a Dungeons & Dragons game for the kids in my bubble, even though I was clueless on what I was signing up for. There has been elaborate prep involved, despite the fact that the starter kit that I purchased, has ready made story telling hooks for the DM (Dungeon Master).
After watching a few videos, consulting with expert friends and some hours of DM 101 books, finally kicked off the first adventure few months ago. After having progressed on the adventure, it is hard not to observe similarities of playing a DM and leading a team. Here are my thoughts on how running D & D kind of role playing games can be a great simulation for exercising /practicing leadership skills :D
- Understanding the big picture
The DM needs to do their homework on understanding the adventure, plots, and different hooks to steer the team to reach the endgame successfully, and emerging out of it with a feeling of accomplishment. And very similar to leading a team, the DM needs to have a solid understanding of why we do what we do, and break it down into small milestones so the adventure ahead doesn’t look so daunting :)
2. Preparing your players
DM lays out the game effectively such that it is consumable by players of various levels to align on the purpose and goals. Setting expectations, rules and being transparent about the freedom afforded, ahead of game, can set the players up to participate with more commitment. This is particularly similar to how you would warm up an engineering team to new roadmaps they will deliver towards and prep them for whats coming.
3. Studying the players and making the journey interesting for them
If you don’t have them hooked, you don’t have a game. So the DM needs to absorb in the characters, their strengths and weaknesses and throw them into situations which makes them shine (or fail) and feel like they could take away something from that. This is Management 101 :), matching the right talent for the job while keeping their passions aligned.
4. Being the enabler rather than the show runner
A DM does not tell the players what to do in each situation. Rather, they nudge them in directions that let them make their own choices to get to the end goal. It may lead the game into a completely unexpected path, but it is the DM’s responsibility to fluidly bring it back on track…. just like in technical leadership :) The team makes the choices based on their expertise and knowledge to implement a roadmap. The leader cheers them along while keeping an eye on the progress towards the overall vision.
5. Making space for everyone’s voice
In a game, if players need to bring their full self, they need to feel involved, like they are impacting and moving the story line forward. If there is a loud voice that is drowning everyone else’s opinions, DM will need to take charge and create that platform for everyone to participate. I’m sure the similarity cant be missed on mechanics of leading a team. If there is a single person on team who is loudest and disruptive, the manager will need to regulate the conversations to create space for all perspectives.
6. Making clear that with choice comes responsibility
During pivotal moments in game, the players get to decide the actions they want to take. But the DM makes clear that they will need to weigh the repercussions of those actions based on the character skills and hit points left. While outcomes are not fully predictable (the game dice are meant to help introduce the uncertainty factor in the game), it is still the responsibility of the player to make weighted decisions and commit to potential outcomes of that action and how it would affect other gamers. This, in particular, is extremely applicable in leadership where delegation and empowerment of team members come to play. While a leader must let the smart people make the decisions, it is also important to clearly lay out the outcomes and alignment expected, so they can make informed and thoughtful decisions.
7. Gaming it by offering levers that energises players
When you want the players to fully engage and take the game seriously, having attractive levers at every point of the adventure can be a great way to achieve full commitment. In D& D there are platinum/gold/silver/bronze coins and treasures that players can earn and health /damage points that can be unlocked as they achieve milestones or overcome hurdles. It is no different in leadership in that, leaders celebrate the success of milestones, by recognising the team for their achievements, little or big.
To summarize, D & D feels like a great team bonding event for exploring and unlocking leadership skills, in a safe and fun simulated environment.
