Playing Chicken: Strategies To Win At Work

The game of chicken is a model of conflict for two players in game theory. It is often used as a metaphor for a situation where two parties engage in a showdown where they have nothing to gain and only pride stops them from backing down. In the context of work, this could be applied to situations where employees are incentivized to ignore requests or where teams claim they can meet an unrealistic early delivery date, hoping that another team will be the first to confess their schedule delays. To break a game of chicken at work, it is important to recognize the incentives that are encouraging this behaviour and to change them to encourage cooperation instead. Additionally, it can be helpful to establish a clear reward system to motivate employees to work together and disclose any delays or challenges they are facing.

Understand the concept of a game of chicken

The game of chicken is a model of conflict for two players in game theory. The game is often used as a metaphor for a situation where two parties engage in a showdown with nothing to gain and only pride preventing them from backing down.

The classic example of the game of chicken involves two drivers headed towards each other on a collision course. One must swerve, or both may die in the crash, but if one driver swerves and the other does not, the one who swerved will be labelled a "chicken" or a coward. The game is also referred to as the \"hawk-dove\" game, where two players contest a shared resource and can choose between conciliation (dove) or escalation (hawk). If both players choose escalation, they fight until one is injured, but if only one player chooses escalation, that player wins.

The game of chicken is a useful model for understanding the anticipated actions of individuals, teams, companies, and industries. It can be applied to various real-world scenarios, such as international diplomacy and nuclear brinkmanship, where the risk of mutual destruction is high.

In the workplace, a game of chicken may arise when employees feel incentivized to ignore requests or act in a way that creates conflict. For example, an employee may engage in a game of chicken with their employer by refusing to cover a case, effectively removing the option to "swerve" or back down. In such cases, it is important for managers to recognize the incentives that encourage this behaviour and work towards creating a culture of cooperation.

Understanding the concept of the game of chicken can provide valuable insights into conflict dynamics and decision-making processes, helping individuals and organizations anticipate and resolve potential conflicts effectively.

Recognise the inevitability of conflict

The game of chicken is a model of conflict for two players in game theory. It is a useful model for managers to understand the inevitability of conflict. The game is often depicted as a part of being young and dumb, where players are willing to escalate a war of attrition to a life-or-death situation.

In the game, two players are headed for a single-lane bridge from opposite directions. The first to swerve away yields the bridge to the other. If neither player swerves, the result is a costly deadlock in the middle of the bridge or a potentially fatal head-on collision. The best outcome for each player is to drive straight while the other swerves, as this avoids the embarrassment of being called a "chicken" and the risk of a crash. However, if both players employ this strategy, it can lead to a catastrophic outcome.

The game of chicken can be applied to various scenarios, such as in the film "Footloose", where the players are headed for a collision course, and in the workplace, where an employee may be trying to get fired and the manager needs to recognise the game and take appropriate action.

In software or product development projects, the "Schedule Chicken" game occurs when two or more product teams claim they can meet an unrealistic early delivery date, assuming that the other teams' schedules are even more unrealistic. This game has no winners, as all product teams end up being part of the losing project team.

Recognising the inevitability of conflict is crucial for managers and leaders. By understanding the dynamics of the game of chicken, they can create incentives for cooperation, change the incentives to positive ones, bring clarity to expectations, and encourage a culture of collaboration.

Change the game to incentivise cooperation

In a game of chicken, two parties engage in a showdown where they have nothing to gain and only pride stops them from backing down. In the context of work, this could manifest as two colleagues refusing to yield in a disagreement, or an employee refusing to complete a task, hoping that their manager will back down from a request.

To break a game of chicken at work, one strategy is to change the game to incentivise cooperation. Here are some ways to do this:

Establish a Clear Reward System

Create a reward system that encourages team players to disclose their challenges or delays early on. For example, in a project with multiple teams, instead of having teams compete against each other to meet an early delivery date, establish a clear reward system for teams that communicate delays promptly. This can help prevent a "schedule chicken" scenario, where teams wait for others to admit their schedule delays.

Change the Incentives

Instead of incentivising a game of chicken or a war of attrition, shift the incentives to positive ones. Encourage a culture of cooperation and adapt processes to promote teamwork. For example, if travelling for work is undesirable for employees, provide incentives or recognition for those who take on travel responsibilities.

Creative Problem-Solving

Think creatively to transform a competitive game into a collaborative one. For instance, if your office struggles with handling incoming phone calls, implement a system where calls are distributed among administrative staff and entry-level employees. This shared responsibility approach can reduce the conflict and encourage cooperation.

Build a Reputation

For external conflicts, such as dealing with frivolous lawsuits, a company can build a reputation for being "tough" and pursuing all lawsuits. While this strategy may involve some initial costs and negative publicity, the long-term effect could be a reduction in similar lawsuits, resulting in a net gain.

By changing the incentives and encouraging collaboration, you can break a game of chicken at work and foster a more positive and productive work environment.

Create a reward system for early disclosure

Creating a reward system for early disclosure can be an effective strategy to break a game of chicken at work. Here are some steps and considerations for implementing such a system:

Firstly, it's important to understand the dynamics of a game of chicken. In this game theory model, two parties engage in a conflict where backing down is seen as a loss of pride. Each player tries to avoid yielding, even though the ideal outcome is for one player to give way, thus avoiding the worst-case scenario of a collision or deadlock. This scenario can play out in various situations, including workplace conflicts.

To break this stalemate, a reward system can be introduced to incentivize early disclosure or cooperation. Here are some key considerations for creating such a system:

• Related Rewards: Choose rewards that are related to the task or desired behavior. For example, if you want to encourage early disclosure of potential issues or mistakes, the reward could be increased support or resources for that individual or team. This type of reward can enhance motivation as it is directly connected to the desired behavior.
• Timing: The timing of the rewards is crucial. In the early stages, continuous reinforcement is essential. This means rewarding every instance of early disclosure to establish a positive association with the behavior. Once the behavior becomes a habit, you can move to intermittent rewards, where the frequency of rewards decreases slightly, but the anticipation of a potential reward remains.
• Appeal: The rewards must hold intrinsic value for the recipients. Consider what your colleagues or employees value—it could be public recognition, additional time off, flexible work arrangements, or monetary incentives. Understanding what motivates each individual can help tailor the rewards accordingly.
• Clear Criteria: Ensure that the criteria for earning the reward are clear and achievable. For instance, you could set a milestone for early disclosure as reporting potential issues within a certain timeframe or before a specific project stage.
• Flexibility: Be prepared to tweak the reward system as you implement it. You might find that certain rewards are not as appealing as you anticipated or that the timing needs adjustment. Don't be discouraged; instead, use this as an opportunity to refine the system to make it more effective.

By implementing a well-designed reward system, you can shift the focus from a "game of chicken" mentality to one of collaboration and mutual benefit, encouraging early disclosure and potentially preventing costly conflicts or deadlocks.

Avoid playing chicken with your company's processes

The "game of chicken" is a model of conflict for two players in game theory. The principle of the game is that while the ideal outcome is for one player to yield or cooperate (to avoid the worst outcome if neither yields), individuals try to avoid it out of pride, not wanting to look like "cowards".

In a company setting, a game of chicken can occur when two or more product teams claim they can meet an unrealistic early delivery date, assuming or hoping that the schedule estimates of other teams are even more unrealistic than theirs. This is known as the "schedule chicken" game.

If your company's processes incentivize a game of chicken or a war of attrition, it's important to recognize this as the problem, rather than blaming individual players. Here are some strategies to avoid playing chicken with your company's processes:

• Change the incentives: Instead of creating a competitive environment, focus on positive reinforcement and encourage a culture of cooperation.
• Bring clarity to expectations: Ensure that team members understand their roles and responsibilities, and provide clear guidelines and objectives.
• Adapt the process: If the current process is not working, be open to making changes. This could involve seeking feedback from team members and implementing their suggestions.
• Establish a clear reward system: Motivate team members to work together and disclose any schedule delays early on. This can help redirect their competitive instincts away from playing the game of chicken.
• Think creatively: By changing the game, you can create incentives to cooperate rather than intimidate. For example, instead of punishing team members for not answering phone calls, implement a system where calls are redirected to other available team members.

By following these strategies, you can avoid playing chicken with your company's processes and foster a more collaborative and productive work environment.

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