(2004-09-03) Kane Profile Mullarkey

Neil Mullarkey on Pat Kane and Play Ethic. Kane takes his cue from the root-word dlegh (in Celtic, Germanic and Slavic), meaning "to engage oneself" (Engagement). Play is about discovering new possibilities... When we talk about someone being a "player", we mean they should be taken seriously. Game Theory says you should introduce an element of randomness to be a winner. "Playfulness - unpredictability-as-survival strategy" becomes vital. Without it, your successful company will become a benchmark that others can copy and surpass. These are the areas of the book that most appeal to me, since they reflect my own thinking. As Kane writes: "An ethic of play is about embracing ambiguity, revelling in paradox, yet being energised by that knowledge: in effect it makes a virtue, even a passion out of uncertainty." That's improvisational theatre - and perhaps it could make for good leadership? There Is But One Infinite Game