Workplace Resiliency: A Lesson from Nintendo

Great leaders build workplace resiliency by recognizing what they don’t know and surrounding themselves with others who know more than them.

Bounce back.

Return to normal.

What’s this year hold for you?

Here’s the truth:

How you think about growth and moving forward is more important than what you actually do.

Let me explain.  

We can never 100% know what is in store for us. (Do things like a global pandemic, war, or recession sound familiar?)

The best thing you can do as a leader is to admit what you don’t know, surround yourself with others who know more than you, and get comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Easier said than done.

Take the story of Nintendo.

When I was nine, the best thing in the world was getting Super Nintendo and playing hours and hours and hours of Mario Kart. I attribute my stellar driving skills to this video game. Nintendo was THE THING in the 80s and 90s. Then came along Xbox and other gaming consoles. Suddenly no amount of Mario Kart could pique my interest with the intensity that Playstation and the other systems did.

So what did Nintendo creators do? They took a step back to think. Took a deep breath. Then they came up with a “less is more” approach.

They looked at a new target: fitness gurus. This is how Wii Fit was born. They wanted to create something for a new type of user. Then they realized the need for a console that was easier to handle, something that would be fun wherever users went.

Boom. The Nintendo DS was born. Handheld, on-the-go fun — perfect for everyone from your nephew to your new millennial employee. They tapped into people’s love of dogs with Nintendogs. They looked around at what was on people’s minds and where they could differentiate and be leaders again.

And guess what? Mario Kart is still pretty kickass on a DS.

So, here’s what you need to ask yourself:

What can you step back and think about as you look forward? How can you change your perspective of how and why things are done at your business?

Your business may be able to take a few tips from Nintendo. Be willing to be flexible, innovative, and resilient.

And if you need some support in what it looks like to “bloom where you’re planted” but need a little lovin’ to get your business there… you’ve come to the right place. We’re ready to be the best HR partner you’ve ever had in your corner!