Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) is a table top role playing game that gets a bad reputation for being the domain of the nerdy and unsuccessful. The punchline of countless jokes, most write DnD off as worthless escapism being little resemblance to our society, and I'm sure it will be easy for you to do as you read this. Bear with me. The skills required to be successful in the imaginative or virtual space of role playing games are actually similar to skills possessed by successful people in all walks of life. Team building, communication and problem solving are part a successful DnD game, and as you read I think you will notice how these skills are necessary in everyday life as well. But we'll return to this later. First some expository:
For those unfamiliar, DnD is a game played in a small group. One player is the Dungeon Master (DM), who is responsible for story telling, keeping the game on track, and playing all the supporting characters. Each other group member is responsible for their own character, whom they "act out" in an effort to play a role. Each character is created by the individual player and falls into a class (warrior, wizard, etc) that has a certain skill set to contribute to the success of the group. The group then works together to achieve a goal, whether it be slaying a dragon or finding some lost artifact.
The following rulebooks are intended parallel each other temporally. The process of a single adventure will be mirrored by a common group process in the working world. Let's call it developing a new product (something I know little about, so allow me some leeway for error). Each rule presented in DnD space will have an equivalent in our hypothetical workplace environment (PS: I wish this could be formatted into two columns for each rule book. Blame Blogger, not me.)
Coding key: ps = problem solving, id = identity, gd = group dynamics
The Rulebook:
1. If you want something, describe it (ps)
In the game of Dungeons and Dragons, everything is possible as long as you can articulate what you want. The game is designed to mimic life as closely as possible, and you can imagine how long a rule book would be that would include every possible scenario you could face. Therefore, players need to get creative. As long as you can effectively describe to the DM what you want, you have a chance to get it.
So the game gets started and your group sets off to accomplish a quest - let's call it retrieving a lost magical item buried in a dungeon somewhere (it will get even nerdier, fair warning). You know this will be a challenging task, and nearly impossible without effective teamwork. But not all group members bring the same skills to the table.
2. Know your role (id)
Your group members have highly specialized skill sets. Each member has talents that they alone contribute to the group, and an understanding of these roles is critical.
3. Let your group members do their jobs (id, gd)
Groups like this will function most effectively when individuals are allowed to use their training and fill their roles. Every space in DnD can be dangerous, and properly or improperly filled roles can mean the difference between (character) life and death. Furthermore, and from a more practical standpoint, the filling of these individual roles keeps the story moving and the game fun.
4. Don't go in blind (ps)
The quest is more than just randomly selecting a dungeon, grabbing a shovel, and going at it. The best way to solve a problem is to first learn as much as you can. Histories, interest from other characters, where the object is located - the list is endless. Research is key to understanding the nature of the quest the group is about to face, and any number of potential wrenches can be avoided by gathering as much knowledge as possible.
5. Equip yourselves properly (ps)
No one should face a dangerous quest without the appropriate equipment. Arms, armor, torches, and anything and everything necessary to traverse a dangerous dungeon. Nothing that may come in handy should be left behind, and as an experienced adventurer you should know what equipment may be needed on your journey.
So now your adventure is underway. You've done your preparation and the hard part is just beginning. You will likely see things you've experienced before, but you have a new task and that comes with a certain amount of unfamiliar territory. And in DnD spaces, unfamiliar territory can be calamitous, which leads us to our next few rules:
6. Be aware of your surroundings (ps, gd)
There are a few reasons to heed this rule. First, knowing your surroundings means being aware of the activities of your group members. This means, most importantly, not splitting up but also communicating with group members effectively, brainstorming future courses of action, and alerting each other at signs of danger. Secondly, being aware of your surroundings means taking advantage of the unexpected rather than being bested by it. As a player it is important to remember that the environments in-game can be acted upon like any real-life environment. Out of rope? That vine will do. No more torches? Make one using that dusty tapestry and that rusty, useless sword.
7. Check for traps (ps, id)
Sometimes the most dangerous aspects of taking on a quest are those that remain unseen. Coming in all shapes and sizes, traps can derail an adventure before it begins. Ultimately, checking for traps is an exercise is minimizing risk from preexisting sources. If the group is lucky, one member may be adept at handling these unforeseen pitfalls.
8. Know thine enemy (id)
Villains are of course the most prominent obstacles you face to the completion of your quest. It is thus important to know what exactly you are facing. Monsters, villains, and even other adventuring groups may be antagonistic to your goals and it is important to know what you are up against. Some enemies can be reasoned with, others cannot. Anticipating the dispositions of the opposition could make or break the quest, so be attentive to what can hurt you.
Well, your enemy is defeated, the quest complete, objects found, princesses saved, and so on. Here lies the final and most crucial juncture, for how the quest ends may profoundly impact future undertakings. And here we come to the final rule:
9. Share the wealth (gd)
In all likelihood, the successful quest is a total team activity, and if you want to be successful in the future, that means sharing treasure equally among group members. Taking more than a persons fair share leads to resentment and behavior detrimental to the team later on. If you treat your comrades well now, they will treat you well in the future.
"Discussion" of the Rulebook
As you can probably understand by reading the description of each rule, they are all designed to encourage success at the task at hand. For new players, these rules will have to be learned, just as "Home Rules" describes the passing on of unwritten rules to children. However, once these rules are learned, they quickly become second nature, as the fate of the quest and the group really do depend on whether or not they're carried out. Take rule 7 for example. Remotely triggering a giant swinging axe that deals your character a substantial amount of damage should only have to happen once before keeping an eye out for mysterious mechanisms becomes second nature. In this way, "survival" is predicated on whether or not you adhere to the rules of this imagined space.
Furthermore, these rules provide you with an opportunity to define your own identity. One of they key aspects of spatial justice according to the Design Studio for Social Intervention (Social Justice article) is the right to thrive and express, and this is demonstrated in a few of the above rules. Each group member will have different experiences and talents, and each member should have the right to express themselves in a way that makes use of these skills. The suppression of a group member's talent will help no one, and drastically reduce the possibility of success on the quest. It's not too great a stretch, then, to see that issues of identity are addressed by the unwritten rules of imagined DnD space.
The Larger Theme
As I said before, the larger theme of the rules will actually begin with a parallel rule book where each of the above rules is compared to a real world situation, in this case interactions in the worlplace. Group dynamics in the workplace is an excellent example of an aspect of social geography. We assume that by sharing a workplace with other people we also share goals with them. The workplace, then, is an environment where we band together with a group of comrades and attempt to solve the problem with which we are tasked, each person filling a hypothetical role or identity. I think the above rulebook demonstrated how group dynamics in Dungeons and Dragons can mirror these workplace dynamics, but of course I'll risk beating the proverbial dead horse and get on with the discussion.
1. Articulation is key (ps)
The ability to effectively communicate what you want of your group members or superiors is important. Part of an effective workplace is the easy flow of information and ideas from one person or group to the next. It is thus crucial to be able to articulate to others what is in your head.
2/3. Respect the skills of others (id,gd)
Your hypothetical small group-production team should be more than the sum of its parts. That means as only one member of the group, it's important, at least in an ideal setting, to place confidence in your group members that they will apply their skills in a manner that best suits the group. Each person will have different life experiences and work histories on which to draw, and knowing which tasks to leave to which people will make the project go smoothly.
4. Understand your project (ps)
In order to give your team the best chance of success, you need to know what is being asked of you. Knowledge of intracacies, histories and details can significantly affect the outcome of the project for better or worse. Research and comprehension will assure that it is for the better. If the group has different ideas about what form the final product will take, progress will be slowed, and the project will ultimately suffer.
5. Be aware of your resources (ps, gd)
Whether it be helpful software or physical supplies, what you are capable of using will be important to the project. This means not only knowing the tools that each group member is skilled with, but also knowing the costs of acquiring these tools and how they will be specifically put to use once you have them. It is important to use the highest quality tools that you are able. Good in, good out, as they say.
6. Be prepared to take advantage of the unexpected (ps, gd)
The hallmark of the successful is a keen eye for opportunity. Identifying favorable situations or creative new problem solving methods will allow you versatility in the face of hardship. This also, once again, means knowing the strengths of fellow group members and what they can do with unforeseen opportunities as well.
7. Identify potential pitfalls (ps)
When you begin your project, it's helpful to look ahead. There are a number of potential "traps" - misleading or improporly collected data, maybe - that can throw off a well understood and meticulously researched project. These pitfalls may seem "built-in" to the problem you are trying to solve, and often both solving or navigating around them are viable solutions.
8. It's a cutthroat world (id)
Whether it is active or passive, the influence and behavior of people outside the group can affect your success. Maybe it's a boss you disrespected last month, or a jealous coworker. No matter what the situation is, it's important to realize that not everyone will be there to help you.
9. Don't take all the credit (gd)
When the project is complete, it is important to remember that every member of the group contributed to its success. No one should take too much credit for the project's completion. It is important to acknowledge this in order to foster a healthy workplace environment in the future.
So at the beginning I asked for a certain amount of disbelief suspension. I find myself often defending this game against people who know it only out of stereotype. I think here I have demonstrated that imagined space is not merely escapism but a microcosm and a laboratory for a number of social behaviors we experience every day. The rules presented above provide a rough guideline for increasing your chance of success in real world workplace situations. Take for example this company (?) that organizes Dungeons and Dragons games for corporate employees as a means to improve their teamwork skills.
Furthermore, these rules can help foster personal success in workplace environments by teaching group and leadership skills. I think this clip will provide sufficient send off (feel free to stop at the 6:20 mark. He starts talking about something completely different):
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