The Olympics may be around the corner but many people simply can't wait. Never mind the medals, we play games.
Many years ago I worked with a political leader who said he had more fun in politics than he did in his day job - he was a barrister. "Some people play squash to relax", he said. "I play politics". In truth, he behaved badly.
One of his favourite games was Show Me. He played this when he was told by one of his officers that he couldn't do something he wanted to do. In Show Me you require the person blocking an action to prove why you can't act. It's a bluff-calling game. In almost all instances, the politician was able to call others' bluffs. Frequently, he would play the game just to make a point. Sometimes he would suggest really outlandish things just to get a reaction.
Games are everywhere. Many of us play them at home. Look no further than Eric Berne's excellent book, Games People Play. In there you'll find, If It Weren't For You, a game that involves blaming your spouse/partner for your lack of success. If it weren't for you (and the need to support you when you were ill) I would have been the next Steve Jobs. That sort of thing.
For men, the games are often simple things. It's something to do with adrenaline. Who Can Get Away First At The Traffic lights is popular. It's often played by younger men but Mid-Life Crisis Sufferers can all too easily get sucked in (what's the point of having a fast car if you don't get the chance to show people what it can do?). It can be a proxy for a less than successful life - never mind that I'm not a millionaire, I showed him who was boss at the lights. Doesn't really do it though, does it?
Thinking of it, this may be a variation of Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better but with cojones.
The Needle is a simple game for any number of players. The object is to work out what irritates an individual and then to use that, wherever possible, to cause upset. The counter strategy is Nothing Bothers Me, where the victim - he or she is no less than that - has to pretend that they are impervious to such attacks. Of course, Needlers can be patient and tenacious. This is not a short game and can take many years to complete. The winner is declared when either breaking point is reached or where the Needler simply gives up. Many readers will know that this game can be played at home.
Some games are subtle. Let's Watch A Train Crash involves talking about someone whose life is falling apart. Many people's lives do. It's common enough. The game involves talking about people going through such situations - not to them, where it might do some good - but to your friends. It's a variation of Thank God It's Not Me which is not the same, sadly, as There But For The Grace of God Go I, a slightly nobler view of the world.
Another subtle game is I Delight In Your Envy where the joy realised by purchasing new things is derived more from the reaction of friends who don't have whatever you have rather than the thing itself.
Whilst games undoubtedly form the basis of our personal relationships, work for many is little more than a playground. I Know Something You Don't Know is a wonderful game for those with little power but an ear to the ground (or a great gossip network). Watch anxious people squirm.
Power, or the lack of it, seems to fuel some games. My Dad's Bigger Than Your Dad is a game where some people will manage to ride roughshod over others by virtue of their connection to the powerful. This game can paralyse normal working relationships. People who play this game can be impossible to manage since they will always find a way to undermine their managers by enlisting the help of more powerful people when they don't want to do something.
Games can be used to bring about change. One senior leader I knew played Let's Throw This Bomb Into The Room And See What Happens. Typically a senior leader will announce something devastating - "we intend to cut back production this year, because of market conditions, by 25%". The resulting fall out, can, some argue, be helpful. Insecurity, fear and anxiety can make people more likely to be grateful for the crumbs at the table.
More Than My Jobs Worth is a game played by the powerless. It involves rigorously adhering to a set of rules and showing no flexibility. Even powerful people can be defeated by skilled players.
Often game-playing eats up valuable time that could be better spent just getting on with life. But I Haven't Got Time For This is probably just another game.