Beating the Odds: Poker Strategies for Leading Projects and Winning at Work

Poker, like business, requires focusing on people, managing complexity, and having the courage to make difficult decisions. There is no recipe that can be followed to guarantee success. Beating the Odds uses entertaining and understandable poker scenarios to explore seven strategies crucial to success and illustrates how these strategies are as applicable from 9 to 5 as they are on poker night.

What are the seven poker strategies that separate the winners from those who go broke?
• When playing to win, specified results must drive decision making.
• Game plans must be adaptable as the cards are turned over and new information is unveiled.
• Winning requires dedicated resources; it takes money to make money.
• Professionals focus their time and attention.
• Don't be blinded by the cards. Poker, like business, is a game of people.
• Strong players have the discipline to do what needs to be done.
• Long-term success demands heart, guts and courage.

How can you use these strategies to turn your business efforts into games you can win? First, "ante up" by documenting the desired business results and putting in place the plans, resources and time required for a legitimate shot at success. Then play like a pro: focus on people, exercise discipline, and summon the courage needed to beat the odds.

Regardless of whether you are a senior executive, a project manager, a team leader, a salesperson, or any professional, Beating the Odds shows how to use these seven strategies to consistently deliver on the job (and it just might help your poker game as well.

John Schroeder is a full time business analyst and part time poker addict who spent the last eight years as a consultant and speaker for Advanced Strategies, Inc. His primary focus is helping Fortune 500 companies and large governement organizations have the courage to transform culture, processes, and IT systems to improve performance and make their world a better place to work.

John is the founder of Beating the Odds, LLC, where he serves as Chief Odds Maker. He has a Masters of Science in Management from Georgia Tech and is a member of, and sparring partner to, the Project Management Institute.