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There’s something about playing Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 that reminds me of management consulting.
The strategy game was released on February 11 and has been consuming my life ever since. If you are unbaptized in the waters of Civ, a quick explanation: The game is part of the 4X genre, which requires you to “explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate” your way through history. In Civ 7 you get to choose to play as one of history’s great leaders, in charge of a budding civilization. The two need not be related. Want to be Benjamin Franklin leading the Romans? It’s possible (and fun). The game is essentially a problem of resource allocation: The key to victory is the efficient use of geographical and cultural advantages and finding play styles that leverage the strength of the civilization you are leading.
The game can quickly grow to a grand scale where you are managing whole cities and conducting elaborate military strategies. In one memorable game, I sacrificed several cavalry units in a glorious charge on an enemy’s line of canons so my infantry could pull off a sneak attack behind them. With a quick click, I sacrificed dozens of soldiers for the greater good.
You can probably guess why it reminds me of consulting—the game of Civilization and the one that firms like McKinsey play in real life aren’t all that different.
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- How tech CEOs play civilization games with real livesHow founder worship can lead to myopic resource allocationThe need to maintain perspective—there is no reset button for reality
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