Maccoby's Gamesman Theory

This theory was assigned to me for a class presentation on May 31st 2019. When i first read it, it did not have any positive feedback regarding the usefulness of the theory. However, as i explored about the author and the details of it, i found it very interesting.

Maccoby's Gamesman theory is basically a management theory. It gives the manager four options to choose from the types of manager. It helps a manager to identify that which type of manager a team needs. The manager in order to identify his character type tends to ask his team workers about the characteristics he displays and ultimately aims to know that how he is perceived within the organization and especially among his team members.

The author gives a list of four character types in his theory. These Include:

1. Craftsman
2. Jungle Fighter
3. Company man
4. Gamesman

According to the authors the critical attribute of the character type Craftsman is their technical expertise. they always like to have precision and details of work. The Jungle Fighters on the other hand, tend to desire success at any cost. They are bold and Competitive. In addition to this, they are further divided into two categories that are Foxes and Lions where foxes tend to make their nests in the organization and operate from safe base only and the Lions conquer  other territories and build empires.   The third Character type that is the Company man's main goal i to protect themselves and the company they work for. Finally, the Gamesman are the ones that like contests. They are basically the risk takers who are fascinated by new techniques and ideas and love problem solving.

After the basic, introduction regarding the main theme of the theory, lets dive into the point that startled me. it was a whole book which the author wrote on this concept. I was amazed to know and read the content of the book that how the author could have expanded this concept over the whole long book. It is also important to share here that the book has been a best seller and has been translated in more than 10 languages.

lastly, i would say that as the context of the theory is old, it may not seem relevant today. If we read the commentaries and the renowned reviews regarding the book, we can find a lot of criticism as well. however, the contribution of the theory at the time it was presented was considered significant and was commended. 

10 MARCH 2019 THOUGHT OF THE DAY

It is strange that how in order to maintain the social order, the society treats the exceptional cases. The outliers are pushed, pressed and assaulted in order to comply with the traditional norms and the rules made by the society. It is alright that certain norms and the so called values are there to control the lives of the ordinary people but one stick cannot not be used to lead everyone.

It is also a bitter reality the way women are treated in this world badly in general  and in the third world countries in particular . Further, the situation in so called Islamic countries for instance like Pakistan in particular is more exacerbated. The culture that fabricates that we protect our women in the name of Islam is merely a patriarchal world.

There are parallel lives that an individual faces in his or her life time. Within a normal course of life then, there are the minorities who even struggle to maintain their freedom. They even tend to survive those basic human rights that are bestowed to them by the prestigious organizations (I did not mention God because people may have different Gods but apparently majority of the countries listen to the United nations that is a common ground).  Many so called eastern value holding women may not agree to me in the wake of supporting their men but it is a reality that sexuality is not the only thing in life. Family making is good but not the end of life. At the end of the day (at least that one day) we need to face ourselves alone.

I wonder when I see the idleness among women. It is important to understand that ignorance is not the answer to the questions that life wants us to answer. It can benefit everyone but not to us only. We need to take the responsibility of ourselves. Patience is good but the one we exercise is not the one that is required from us by our lord. So we must stop manipulation.