ASSOCIATES (vol. 4, no. 3, March 1998) - associates.ucr.edu
_Territorial Games:
Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work._
Annette Simmons
American Management Association
1997
ISBN: 0-8144-0383-2
Reviewed by
Susan Gilmont
Library Technician III
Guin Library
Oregon State University
Susan.Gilmont@orst.edu
"TERRITORIAL GAME: a behavior pattern, driven by the need to secure or
protect valued territory, that:
1. Is usually not obvious to the game player
2. Is not ultimately in their organization's or the game player's
best interest
3. Causes bad feelings and stimulates more games in others"
I'm not a great fan of business books, but when I saw Annette
Simmons'Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work,
I knew I had to read it. Although this dark side of the workplace has
been inadequately reported in the literature, it is a daily reality for
millions of working people. Even in libraries, we all experience--and
play--territorial games. Sometimes dysfunctional territoriality is
just irritating; it can also be cruel and destructive. Incredible
amounts of time and energy are wasted on territorial behaviors and
their consequences. If you are tired of being a victim, or if you
don't want to be a player, then this book can help.
Territorial Games is in three parts. In the first section, the
authordefines the territorial drive and explains how the instinct for
self-preservation becomes distorted in a cultural context. The drive
for physical survival translates into a drive for psychological survival
and self-esteem. The problem is that it is still operating on an
unconscious, instinctive level.
Ten different territorial games are analyzed in the middle
section. Ms. Simmons describes territorial tactics such as Occupation
("I was here first"), Intimidation ("Make my day"), and the Invisible
Wall ("It must have been the gremlins"). She doesn't stop there: each
chapter concludes with a self-test designed to help readers comprehend
their own territorial strategies. We can't change what we don't
understand, and understanding must begin with ourselves.
In the last part of the book, the author makes recommendations
for handling territoriality in the workplace. She rebuts myths about
territorial games ("Everybody does it," "The other person is the
problem"). She suggests solutions, such as drawing bigger maps,
providing more information and redefining "the enemy." Finally, the
author proposes two new games: the Trust-Building Game and the
Community-Building Game.
Annette Simmons writes in a clear, occasionally pungent style,
and with much humor. The author interviewed more than forty managers as
part of her research, and their comments enliven the narrative.
Psychological ideas are oversimplified, but a short bibliography
provides a first step for readers who want to learn more about
territoriality. Like most business books, Territorial Games is aimed
at managers, especially people who can carry out change in their
organizations. Nonmanagerial employees can use this book to
understand motivations, and maybe even reduce some tensions on the job.
This book is a tool. It gives readers a sorely needed place to start.