With the current global economic situation as it is, it would be reasonable to say that we are all in a unique position. Politicians have been compounding the message that we must all take action and take it sooner rather than later. Yet with such uncertain times, what if the action we take isn’t right? This reminds me of the situation I faced recently as I learned to play mah-jong for the first time this past Chinese New Year.

As a complete novice, I was amazed to learn that the first part of the game went way beyond a simple shuffle to ensure a completely random distribution of the tiles (and what a truly distinctive sound it makes). The complex “ritual” ensured I had no way to predict the likely outcome of the game, very much like the situation most of us are now finding ourselves in.

There are a great deal of similarities between mah-jong and some card games I have played in the UK. The principals seem to be the same. Quickly, from a sense of complete disorder and confusion, I created a simple and what proved to be a winning strategy, even though I had to ask a relative to translate the numbered tiles into English for me, a dead giveaway every time I lifted the sheet and compared the symbol drawn to the tile just laid!

The strategy I implemented was simple.

• First, you need to understand your hand or in this case the tiles I had been randomly allocated. As HR professionals, there are a number of tools you can utilise to do this successfully within your organisation, including: appraisals, psychometric testing and regular reviews.

• Once you know what your hand contains, play to your strengths. There is no point playing for bamboo tiles if you do not have any to start with. Much the same can be said when looking for new talent. If you have a well-defined team that is effective, you are probably better suited to looking for someone who will complement the team rather than recruit an isolated individual who although brilliant, may not perform well on their own.

• Keep your options open. Change is forced on you during the game of mah-jong, insomuch as you constantly need to make tough decisions as to which tile to discard every round. Yet if you keep your options open and retain the most likely winning combinations (those that you are currently strong in), the chances of you getting a winning “hand” will be improved.

For example if you have the number tiles 5, 6 and 8 and must throw one away, it would make more sense to discard the 8 rather than the 5 as the chances of getting a 4 and a 7 are greater than relying on a single 7. In the real world it is always good practice to continually assess the parts of the organisation that you are likely to benefit from the most and look at how changes in staffing situations will affect your productivity. If your organisation is expanding or contracting, look out for your organisation’s “5 and 6” combinations.

• As the game progresses you will see a much clearer picture of what is or isn’t possible. Even if your strategy seems inherently sound, the market may change against you. In the same way you need to quickly adapt to the changes in the game, it is vital that you make the necessary adjustments in your business. These adjustments can only be made effectively if the information is accurate and up to date. Therefore keeping a constant finger on the pulse is crucial to staying one step ahead!

• Don’t be overly concerned about making mistakes. No strategy is perfect and mistakes will be made. In the game we can learn a great deal from so-called “mistakes” and in some instances our errors can be useful. In your role, take a little time to examine your actions both good and bad. Once you know the reaction to a particular play, then you can adjust accordingly.

After a consistent winning streak, I was then invited to play on the table with the adults!