A tale of of the benefits of aligned incentives
aka
"Teaching people to play paintball by taking away their guns.
A thread.
aka
"Teaching people to play paintball by taking away their guns.
A thread.
Many years ago, I used to coach college paintball.
If you have no idea what college paintball is, below is a thread I previously put together which you might want to read before you continue.
If you have no idea what college paintball is, below is a thread I previously put together which you might want to read before you continue.
https://twitter.com/alexpotato/status/1219998518489878530
Back to the story, so there are several very hard parts about coaching college paintball:
1. Paintball is a sport that rewards things that go against human nature
2. Very few people have played organized, well coached paintball prior to playing in college.
1. Paintball is a sport that rewards things that go against human nature
2. Very few people have played organized, well coached paintball prior to playing in college.
This thread is going to be about #1 above while being related to #2.
Specifically, there are MANY times where your best course of action is to do something that protects another person while exposing you to being eliminated (aka shot).
Specifically, there are MANY times where your best course of action is to do something that protects another person while exposing you to being eliminated (aka shot).
This works (and keeps you alive) because if that other person takes the same approach, you created a mutual defense that protects both of you.
In other words, it's very much "put others ahead of me".
This is surprisingly difficult to teach people.
In other words, it's very much "put others ahead of me".
This is surprisingly difficult to teach people.
Why?
Let me set the scene:
- there are 10 players on the field
- they may all be shooting at the same time
- they may all be shouting things the same time
- meanwhile, you are trying to not be eliminated
As you can imagine, your adrenaline and heart rate are "elevated".
Let me set the scene:
- there are 10 players on the field
- they may all be shooting at the same time
- they may all be shouting things the same time
- meanwhile, you are trying to not be eliminated
As you can imagine, your adrenaline and heart rate are "elevated".
A big part of this is also communication. If the players aren't talking to each other, they can't co-ordinate their actions and the mutual defense can break down very quickly.
So how do you teach people to talk and work together?
Great question!
So how do you teach people to talk and work together?
Great question!
For a long time, I had no idea. I thought that if they just played a lot together, it would develop over time. That is true to some extent but:
a. it takes FOREVER and I only had these kids for 3-4 years at most
b. it's very organic so you don't explore all of the scenarios
a. it takes FOREVER and I only had these kids for 3-4 years at most
b. it's very organic so you don't explore all of the scenarios
So I tried everything:
- getting them to practice phrases
- lots of 2 v 2s, 3 v 2s etc
- doing walkthroughs of the field talking about the strategy
but nothing worked.
- getting them to practice phrases
- lots of 2 v 2s, 3 v 2s etc
- doing walkthroughs of the field talking about the strategy
but nothing worked.
Then one day I had an idea!
The plan was:
- do a 2 v 1
- the 1 player was in a fixed position.
- on the 2 player side, the goal was to get a player into a forward position and the other player's job was to protect them.
There was a very crucial twist though!
The plan was:
- do a 2 v 1
- the 1 player was in a fixed position.
- on the 2 player side, the goal was to get a player into a forward position and the other player's job was to protect them.
There was a very crucial twist though!
The player doing the moving DID. NOT. HAVE. A. GUN.
I know what you're thinking: "That's crazy talk! How do you play paintball without a gun??"
You (and all of the players) had the same question mind you.
I know what you're thinking: "That's crazy talk! How do you play paintball without a gun??"
You (and all of the players) had the same question mind you.
But something amazing happened.
Suddenly, the two players started talking. And planning. And thinking through their moves.
Why? Because the player without the gun realized he needed the other player to work with him against the opposing player. Otherwise, he would be out.
Suddenly, the two players started talking. And planning. And thinking through their moves.
Why? Because the player without the gun realized he needed the other player to work with him against the opposing player. Otherwise, he would be out.
And the player on the 2 side with the gun realized he couldn't just sit back. He had to take a very active role in protecting the moving player or they both lost. If you lost, you had to run laps which gave extra incentive.
In other words: they were working together!
In other words: they were working together!
I couldn't believe it! Something so simple had led to giant positive outcomes.
Reflecting on this later, I realized that it truly boiled down to creating interests that were aligned.
I told my mom this story and in her own genius Italian mom way summarized the whole thing:
Reflecting on this later, I realized that it truly boiled down to creating interests that were aligned.
I told my mom this story and in her own genius Italian mom way summarized the whole thing:
"Of course! If you are a man and you have a gun, you don't think you need anyone else's help. Take away that gun and now you suddenly need people!" #smartlady
If you've read this far, here is a funny picture of me coaching the @Huskers paintball team many years ago.
warpig.com/paintball/tour…
warpig.com/paintball/tour…
If you liked this thread, here is a tweet thread of my other tweet threads.
https://twitter.com/alexpotato/status/1212223167944478720
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
