It will be “business as usual” in September, when companies and schools return to work which means it’s time to hit the books and further our careers.  A business book that may help you get ahead in your career is one I have been working very hard on for quite a while.  Business on the Board is a business management self-help book that uses MBA-based business content and “Chess for Purpose” to create strategically stronger and tactically sharper leaders.  Chess for purpose means that what you learn from chess will help you get ahead in business, in athletics, or education. Instead of business cases (business case-study method), I use chess games (chess model) for analyzing a situation, deciding on what to do and executing.

Yes the strategies and tactics used on the chessboard continue to make the business headlines practically every day.  In chess, interference is when a piece (either yours or your opponent’s) prevents you from getting your job done.  In business interference takes the form of harassment. A major media head just stepped down because he allegedly sexually harassed an employee who was later fired. What did the fired employee do? Filed a desperado (I’m going down and taking you with me) lawsuit tactic which happens on the chessboard regularly. If your bishop is trapped, take a pawn or whatever you can.

Several days ago the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co was pictured in the Wall Street Journal exhibiting situational leadership to his employees in London. He was trying to figure out how the Brexit vote was going to impact his company and his workers.  Since every chess game at some point becomes unique, chess players use situational leadership all the time to make their way through middlegame complications. It’s thinking on your feet and is one style of an exceptional leader.

And on the same page was an article on an employee that was so overworked, it was not unusual for seven employees to be waiting outside his office door getting his approval. His admin had transferred out to another department because she got tired of rearranging his schedule constantly to make things happen.  Now that is one overworked piece on a chessboard which if seized upon as a tactical opportunity can win you the game on the spot. (See WSJ June 29, 2016, When Meetings Hijack the Workday and Big Employers are Urging Calm After U.K. Vote)

If you are in business or a student studying business, check out how chess can help you get ahead while you are learning about business at the same time. Get connected to the Business on the Board™ community by visiting our website at www.businessontheboard.com and enrolling in the complimentary Inner Circle Membership www.businessontheboard.com/enroll

That will give you access to bonus chapters, PDF files associated with the games and links in the book, white papers, teaching aides and all.

Business on the Board will be available at Amazon in print version and Kindle e-readers in early September 2016.

Let’s connect in September.

JK Egerton