The Engagement Game: Why Your Workplace Culture Should Look More Like a Video Game

This brief and insubstantial offering from Madigan (Getting Gamers), head of product for the management coaching app LeaderAmp, argues that good gamers have already learned all they need to know about creating an effective workplace, and that business leaders can learn from them. Madigan describes how gaming inculcates the ability to work well with others, continually take in and retain new information, focus closely, and cultivate a “balanced slate of skills.” He walks managers through learning the principles of creating a successful game and applying these to employee motivation, goal setting, and learning. He also discusses how online game ranking systems illustrate how to effectively motivate friendly competition and higher performance, and relates attempts to tackle the toxic “bro atmosphere” in gaming by cultivating more diverse and respectful climates in the workplace. Clearly intended as a gift item (a to/from label is included at the beginning), this works as a present for new grads, but the skimpy content and ill-chosen stock photography makes the whole feel flimsy. Madigan’s disappointing manual is best suited to those who need the gaming angle to get interested in the subject of business at all. (Aug.)