My love for strategy began at age 12 in Batroun, Lebanon.
I was walking through the old souk, ice cream in hand, when I stopped at a seaside café. Two older men were locked in a heated game of backgammon.
Dice clacking. Shisha smoke rising. Animated reactions to every move.
“Ya khayyeh shou mahzouz!! Doushésh!”
(“Bro, you’re lucky! Double six!”)
It was electric.
Later that day, I called Canada from a phone station:
“Baba, teach me backgammon when I get back.”
He did.
Backgammon or Chess both games taught me leadership, each sharpening a different strategic muscle.
🎲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.
Part chance. Part strategy.
You roll with what life gives you and make the best move possible.
Sometimes, even perfect decisions lead to loss. That’s markets, timing, and uncertainty.
But win more games than you lose, and you win the match.
The lesson? Resilience and adaptability are as important as strategy.
♟️ 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.
All strategy. All people development.
Each team member, like each piece, has unique strengths.
The best leaders position their people to thrive even when the game demands hard moves.
Because true strategy means developing talent and making tough calls with care.
A pawn becomes a queen with the right development.
That’s not sacrifice. That’s strategic investment.
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀:
Know your board and your competition.
Develop your team.
Your current decisions should set up long-term wins while growing trust, skills, and people.
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀:
Choose organizations that invest in you.
Align with leaders who balance results and growth.
Know your role, but never stop expanding your impact.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲:
Checkmate is building something meaningful with people you respect while staying three moves ahead.
When you face unexpected challenges, do you adapt like a backgammon player or strategize like a chess master, and how do you ensure your team grows stronger either way?
Choose your board. Let’s play!
