What my dad—and chess—taught me about work
- apocketfulofhappin
- Jun 9
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 7
My dad taught me chess when I was in the second grade. By the time I was in the fourth grade, I was defeating him—five out of ten games, sometimes more, depending on the length of our marathon chess sessions. Somewhere in-between, I got cocky. I remember one game where he failed to notice his queen was under threat, and I told him so just as he was about to make a different move.
Dad wasn't pleased.
He said gently, “Next time you do that, I won’t play with you. In chess, never tell your opponent his move or that he’s making the wrong one. You're being disrespectful. You focus on your game. You play fair—and you play to win.”
Lesson learned.
Decades later, I often recall his words and reflect on what they mean—drawing some timeless workplace lessons from that chess anecdote.
Play fair, but play to win. Integrity and ambition or career goals go hand in hand.
Respect professional boundaries. However good your intentions, they can backfire and lead to mistrust.
Focus on your own performance. Let others focus on theirs. Don’t micromanage others.
Everyone learns from their mistakes. Don’t jump in to correct your colleagues even if you think you know better.
Discipline and awareness matter in the workplace. Stay sharp, but stay grounded.
Never underestimate silence. When a colleague doesn't speak much, it doesn't mean they have nothing to say. Sometimes, saying less means more, tells you more.
Keep learning. Everyone starts as a beginner, grow with practice, before they become skilled. But they never stop learning.
Be active, be strategic, and not reactive. Every move or step should have meaning and purpose—not just in chess, but in meetings and presentations, too.
Stay curious. The chessboard may be the same, but every game is different. Just like your workdays.
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