1

I’m not sure I want to be a villager OR a werewolf. Can’t I just carry round my gun loaded with silver bullets?

posted at 11:18 am on June 9, 2009 by Phil Houghton

2 Please add a link to the game

Yours is the best description I’ve read about the game, so now I may go out and buy it (I’ve never played it). But to give credit, you should probably link to Looney Labs (http://store.looneylabs.com/Are-You-A-Werewolf) so people can buy it – or one of their other wonderful games. My favorite from them is Fluxx (http://store.looneylabs.com/Fluxx).

posted at 01:53 pm on June 9, 2009 by JohnB

3 Office politics suck, but role playing as murderer

Sorry, I just don’t see the creativity in this game (or article). If tapping into teen horror-flick-fantasy driven thought processes is the answer to doing well in the workplace, then we have a serious problem in this culture.

posted at 02:17 pm on June 9, 2009 by L Y O N S

4 Brilliant!

I didn’t know the game. Now I have to play it. And I’m sure I’ll learn something cool from it. Great article! Thank you.

posted at 02:51 pm on June 9, 2009 by khrome

5

I’ve never heard of this game before, but it sounds interesting, like aggressive card games where bluffing is key. But I have a hard time applying the rules to real life. As a manager of creative folks and one whose calendar is packed with meetings with people across the organization, I simply cannot relate to the dark point of view.

It’s no secret there are some people who seek to undermine others and climb political ladders — assholes are a corporate institution. But from my experience, people who have skin in the game want to genuinely contribute to meetings, and they are almost always open and collaborative. A corporate culture that revolved around exposing “werewolves” would ultimately implode in self-defeating witch hunts.

I wish this article had delved into ways of actually managing those challenging relationships with werewolves, instead of laying out tactics to simply identify them. It’s not hard to determine who has hidden agendas, and it’s not hard to figure out what those agendas are. The hard part is managing the good people with the bad. I have my own methods (fire them), but sometimes it’s not always that easy.

I hope you consider a follow-up on the actual management aspect, because the article does not deliver on the title’s promise.

posted at 08:50 pm on June 9, 2009 by Kevin Potts

6 sounds better...

Sounds far more useful than closing your eyes and falling backwards hoping someone will catch you.

posted at 10:41 pm on June 9, 2009 by eltonlester

7 quality

Played a similar game with friends… and I’m definitively in the middle of it in real life. Often times you know the truth of situations, but it helps to actually hear someone articulate whats happening. Thanks for the pimp article!

posted at 03:19 am on June 10, 2009 by blackabee

8 Wikipedia explains all

@JohnB et al. I’m pretty sure Michael is referring to the free paper based game described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mafia_(game)

posted at 03:23 am on June 10, 2009 by jameshutson

9 you don't sound too optimistic...

Let me start by saying I appreciate trying something different. The article is pretty well written, clever, and an interesting topic.

But it doesn’t align very closely with my workplace experience. It doesn’t sound like it aligns with many others’ experience either.

Sure, every business has a few people like that. But I would argue that spending any time trying to decipher their movements or change in vocal pitch is going to get you nowhere.

If you stay who you are: honest, optimistic, energetic, and creative – then you will find your way to success much quicker than focusing on the devious actions of others.

posted at 02:14 pm on June 10, 2009 by Chris Meeks

10 So the liars win?

This is an interesting article, but I am not sure what the take away from it is. It seems that the author is suggesting that in business, like in the game, only the strong and deceitful survive. Are you condoning and suggesting that we all start lying and playing power games in order to deal with all our coworkers who are doing the same?

The article supplies an excellent description of the game, however, the parallels that the author draws to everyday life seem a little dubious and pessimistic. In addition, I agree with the premise that not everyone in an office setting is honest or trust worthy, but the author does not actually offer any constructive methods of dealing with these kinds of people beyond playing power games and dropping down to their level.

posted at 03:00 pm on June 10, 2009 by fuzzylizard