Video Games and Leadership

Video Gaming has become a multi-million dollar industry and even has fared much better than most industries during the recent economic recession. It seems video games are also stealing away the hearts and the minds of many of our younger generation. Indeed, many individuals are addicted to the entertainment video games provide. So why are video games so successful, so desirable, so addicting, and so widely used? I think I’ve discovered why, and in the process I have learned a valuable lesson that if applied, can help us all be more successful.

Video gaming is wildly successful because its users receive between 65 to 100 “reinforcers” a minute. (This study was highlighted in the book “Bringing out the Best in People” by Aubrey C. Daniels p 216.) This type of instant gratification is unprecedented and certainly can not be compared with the amount of reinforcement provided by most parents at home or teachers at school or supervisors at work. So, we can learn from video games. We can learn as leaders, as parents, as teachers, that we must greatly improve the rate and frequency of reinforcement we provide to others each day.

Currently, the rate of reinforcement that most people receive from others is tremendously inadequate. So when someone is doing something good, let them know! When people do things you like, tell them. When the performance of your work group is good, reward them. The problem is that naturally as human beings, we often look to correct rather than praise. Thus we often hear people complain to teachers, parents, or supervisors that it seems they only focus on the bad and ignore the good. Leaders who learn to provide quick and frequent positive reinforcement for those who are doing good will be wildly successful in their ability to influence and lead others.

And how often does positive reinforcement need to be? Look at the rate of reinforcement that our video games provide for a clue... Positive reinforcement must become second nature to us for that is the only way we can compete for the attention of others. Our reinforcement must be swift and often.

As proven by video games, people crave high rates of reinforcement. Thus we must learn from video games and strive to be much better at reinforcing. When we do increase our reinforcement rate, we greatly improve our ability to positively impact others. Thus we become not only better leaders but also better people.