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.