When I was a kid, one of the board games in my rotation was Chutes and Ladders. Originating in India, this classic family game was later marketed as “Snakes and Ladders” in England before being commercialized in the United States by board game powerhouse Milton Bradley in 1943. The game has since stood the test of time. I am many years removed from the last time I played Chutes and Ladders, but I understand its many lessons, mainly applied to the business world.
The object of Chutes and Ladders is simple: you climb a playing board and reach the top before your opponent(s). Each player takes turns flicking a spinner and moving their markers (pawns) to the designated spaces. We start— where else? —at square one (where the phrase originated), and finish precisely at square 100. On any given turn, one can land on designated squares that enable an advance of squares (climbing a ladder) or set a player back multiple spaces (going down a chute). The first player to land on square 100 in the exact number of moves needed off the spin wins the game.
Empirically, Chutes and Ladders is a metaphor for the sheer unpredictability of life—its grandest takeaway: there are no guarantees.
The fortune of any player can suddenly and drastically change on any given spin. There is no strategy. The board giveth, and the board taketh away. One turn, you can be riding high, leading the field, only to come crashing down on your next move. Or, you can be within striking distance of a goal, only to remain stagnant for numerous turns as others gain ground, pass you, and eat your lunch. Within the rules of play, we learn the distinction between virtue and vice; on a deeper level, the game teaches us patience, acceptance, and resilience.
In the real world, of course, there is no spinner, no finite distance to traverse in pursuit of a goal. We constantly move out of turn, our gains and losses running side-by-side. Consider the middle manager promoted to the C-suite, the founder securing an initial round of funding, and the sales rep landing that first colossal deal—all earned outcomes fastened to a backstory of struggles, setbacks, and moments of self-doubt. Contrast the wins to the bitter sting of being unceremoniously downsized, the abrupt loss of seed money, and the prospect’s change of mind and reaffirm there is no sure thing in business.
A Parting Thought
As professionals, we acknowledge that success and failure coexist and that achievement is a function of competency and effort. Not everything we do falls between all and nothing or lends itself to comparing extremes. There are many lateral moves along the way. The key is participating, remaining competitive, and giving yourself a fighting chance to win. There is a thin line between taking a well-deserved step up the rungs and an unforeseen slip into the abyss. Fate continues to live up to its billing as a fickle mistress.
I liked Larry’s comment. Still you left me with alot to ponder on. Great article.
A brilliant perspective, JD. I had no idea that a game I loved and played as a child, and still play with my grandchildren could convey so much about life, as this was not something I focused on.
One of my takeaways from your article relates to being almost Home and ending up down the chute or down to the tail of the snake. Life is filled with uncertainties, and decisions we make, or events outside of our control can influence the results we experience as entrepreneurs. Everything can be going well in our business then certain factors can send us spiraling so that we lose momentum, or lose connection, or something else. It does not mean we have failed. We can get back on the board again.
I’ll take it a step further, Yvonne — sometimes we are not ready to climb the ladder until we slide down a few chutes.
Point taken. Everytime we fall and pick ourselves off the ground, we become stronger.
One of the most important things you can do as a business leader is get used to uncertainty. Thanks JD for a great reminder of that!
Sincerely appreciated, Carol. Just one of many reminders for leaders, yes?
FYI…I wrote a very similar post nearly six years ago. See: http://illinoispartners.com/why-a-startup-is-like-chutes-and-ladders/
When I was a kid, I would run up the slides from the bottom up to the top. In games there is only winning and losing. In life when you’re losing you can always fight to win.
Great storytelling JD. I would go one step farther and say their is no success or failure just occurrences on the journey of life.
The views expressed herein are those of an eternal optimist.
Is this positive/negative framing?