What does a deck of cards have to tell us about leadership and teams? I suggest that we look at the poker hand as an analogy for a team, and that we consider the suits and numbers as characteristic of human traits. I will go through the values of hands (team structures) in order and briefly discuss the characteristics of the individual suits and higher-ranking cards. And, if anyone does not know, a poker hand has 5 cards.
I will refer to two different types of alignment: an alignment of perspective (where one is standing) and an alignment of intention (what one is committed to). I suggest that the number or value of the card represents perspective, and the suit represents what one is committed to. I’ll start with the four suits (commitments).
Suits:
- Suit of Hearts Traits: Primarily on the various emotional aspects involving “the heart” and “matters of the heart.” Loving, caring, humanitarian, caregiving.
- Suit of Diamonds Traits: Materialistic, money-minded, on the “egotistical” side, aloof, difficult to know. In certain respects, these individuals enjoy being in the limelight. They are often great performers, business owners, investment brokers/bankers, tax consultants or real estate investors.
- Clubs are generally associated with agreements, business pursuits, governmental matters and events with dynamic impact in terms of our lives. Frequently, the Clubs will herald the beginning stages of a new course in life. They usually signify self-growth and accomplishment.
- Suit of Spades Traits: Analytical, truth-seeking, logical by nature. These individuals are driven by their minds, not their hearts. They are, therefore, not especially emotionally-inclined. Spades people make excellent judges, lawyers, dealers of justice. They also can be difficult to get along with, so caught up in right and wrong.
Face Cards:
- Jack: Represents the apprentice, competent enough to carry a load but still committed to learning from elders. The Jack is leader to his/her followers, and follower to his/her leader.
- Queen: Receptivity, community, a commitment to youth and the future.
- King: Wisdom, experience and direction, responsible for how things will end up.
- Ace: Represents communication; phone calls, letters, online interaction. As such it is the only card capable of taking more than one place in the hierarchy. It can be the highest or the lowest as communication requires. Its overall value is the highest of all cards. Even the king will never be more powerful than communication.
Team/Hand Structures:
- High card: This could barely be called a team or even a hand. There is no alignment, only individuals with their own interests; one may be more powerful than others, but he or she has not brought the others into agreement.
- One Pair: Two individuals are of like perspective; they represent the only alignment on the team.
- Two Pair: The vast majority of the team is aligned with at least one other. There are multiple perspectives and these may be in conflict but this tension can be creative. Few are left out (in the poker hand only one card is left out).
- Three of a Kind: There is alignment of perspective through a small majority of the team, there are some who are not in agreement.
- Straight: In cards this means that the cards are numerically all in a row. In teams, this is analogous to having all members in approximate alignment on perspective. There is not truly a consensus; they are not all on the same page, however the similarities are sufficient to expect high performance. No one is left out
- Flush: This is an interesting shift. The Suits represent an alignment of intention, a common set of commitments; refer to the brief descriptions of suits above. In cards, a flush is all cards of the same suit, but not in order. On a team, this points to differing perspectives yet a complete alignment of intention. This team knows what it is striving for and is committed completely.
- Full House: In cards, one pair and three of a kind. Two different perspectives are at work on the team, and all are included somewhere in this. No one is alone, but there is conflict and tension, and also great power if they can stay in motion.
- Four of a Kind: This is four cards of the same numerical or face value. This represents an almost complete alignment of perspective. There is again, great power and predictably, in teams, the one (or the minority) that is left out will leave or assume some minor role.
- Straight Flush: All in a row, (approximate alignment of perspective) and all of the same suit (common commitments). This is the highest power a team can have. And, as in cards, the more universal (higher rank) the perspectives represented, the higher the capacity of the team. The highest being a “Royal Flush” where every member of the team is fully expressed and optimized.
Edited by Meg Buck