Team strategic philosophy: requiem for the infinite game

Powell, Arfon G. M. T. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3740-8275, Bowman, Christopher, Brown, Christopher, Egan, Richard J. and Lewis, Wyn G. 2020. Team strategic philosophy: requiem for the infinite game. Postgraduate Medical Journal 96 (1136) , pp. 310-312. 10.1136/postgradmedj-2019-137441

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Abstract

Deliberate accountability has arrived in the medical arena, producing an age of reward for measured performance, and belief in publicizing metrics to ensure clarity, with winning defined as hitting targets, whereby staff are incentivised by arbitrary objectives. Finite game theory declares that players are known, rules are fixed, and the objective agreed, but infinite game theory asserts that players are both known and unknown, rules are changeable, and the objective is to perpetuate the game; these standards are clearly at odds and risk real world chaos in global universal medical education and clinical outcomes and functioning. Five principles are necessary to lead an infinite game: first, a fair basis, such that sacrifices for its advancement are promoted; second, a trusting blame-free team culture and environment; third, competitors viewed as worthy rivals, rather than adversaries, promoting healthy competition; fourth, existential flexibility when faced with credible evidence; and finally, transformational leadership; including infinite game theory into healthcare planning may be difficult, but the potential rewards are surely worth the existential fight.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine
Publisher:	BMJ Publishing Group
ISSN:	0032-5473
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	26 March 2020
Date of Acceptance:	10 February 2020
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2024 10:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/130602

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