Finding a Practice Partner
Sharpening Skills Together
In chess, even the greatest grandmasters don't develop their skills in isolation. They study with mentors, analyze games with colleagues, and regularly test their strategies against worthy opponents. The same principle applies to organizational intelligence—no one builds mastery alone.
In From Pawn to Player series, we've dissected organizational archetypes, embraced adaptive authenticity, and learned to read the invisible currents of power—but even the most skilled players recognize that chess mastery is rarely a solo achievement. This week I want to deep dive into a critical but often overlooked aspect of mastering organizational chess: finding the right practice partner to accelerate your growth and expand your strategic playbook.
There have always been people I've relied on to help understand the "what's what" and "who's who" in the organizational maze. Early on it was often a boss or mentor, but I've also found a few trusted peers (and friends) who are the same people you can text during a meeting with a "WTF is going on" message or do a post-meeting debrief to figure out if a situation is legitimately "weird" or, as Taylor Swift so perfectly put it, "…It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me." These moments of clarity are invaluable—sometimes you need someone else to confirm that yes, that meeting really was as bizarre as it felt, and other times you need someone brave enough to point out your blind spots when you're the one creating the tension.
The beauty of these relationships is discovering these peers are wrestling with similar challenges and facing their own career existential crises. These are the people who hold you accountable when needed, validate your reality check when warranted, and sometimes—let's be honest—just provide a safe space to vent your frustrations. Every great chess player needs a trusted partner to analyze the game, and every professional navigating the corporate chessboard needs the same. These partnerships go beyond mere friendship—they're strategic alliances that enhance your organizational intelligence and expand your ability to navigate complex situations.
The Strategic Value of Partnership
In chess, the value of a good practice partner cannot be overstated. They challenge you, push your limits, and help you see the board from a new perspective. The same holds true in the corporate world. A practice partner is more than a colleague; they are a collaborator who sharpens your strategic thinking and encourages growth.
As management theorist Peter Senge notes in "The Fifth Discipline," "Team learning is vital because teams, not individuals, are the fundamental learning unit in modern organizations." This insight highlights why even the most talented individual players benefit from collaborative learning and practice.
Think of how chess masters improve—not just through solo study, but through preparation with seconds (assistant coaches), analysis with peers, and regular competition. Similarly, organizational mastery requires partners who can test your thinking, offer alternative perspectives, and create a safe space for strategic experimentation.
Identifying the Right Partner
Finding the ideal practice partner isn't about proximity or convenience—it's about compatibility and mutual growth. Look for someone who:
Complements Your Skill Set
A great partner's strengths should offset your weaknesses, creating a balanced approach. This complementary dynamic creates productive tension—what we might call "cognitive friction"—that challenges assumptions and leads to more robust solutions than either partner could develop alone.
Offers Constructive Feedback
They're not afraid to challenge you but do so with the intention of helping you improve. Your ideal practice partner creates this psychological safety while still pushing you to excel.
Shares Aligned Goals
Collaboration is more effective when both parties aim for similar outcomes. This doesn't mean identical career aspirations, but rather compatible visions of success and shared values about what matters in organizational life.
Inspires Trust
Vulnerability is key to growth. Choose someone you trust to see your missteps and help you learn from them. Your practice partner should create a space where both of you can be vulnerable enough to experiment, fail, and learn.
Examples of Powerful Partnerships
Throughout history, many of the most significant achievements have come through the power of effective partnerships:
In Chess
The partnership between world champion Garry Kasparov and his long-time coach Mikhail Botvinnik revolutionized chess preparation and strategy. Botvinnik's methodical approach complemented Kasparov's aggressive style, creating a combination that dominated chess for decades.
Even in fiction, Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" brilliantly illustrates this principle. Beth Harmon's meteoric rise isn't a solo journey—her growth accelerates dramatically when she begins collaborating with former rivals Benny and Townes, who help her recognize blind spots in her game and preparation. Their contrasting perspectives and playing styles ultimately help Beth overcome her greatest opponent, demonstrating how complementary partnerships can elevate performance beyond what any individual could achieve alone.
In Organizations
Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger's partnership at Berkshire Hathaway demonstrates how complementary skills—Buffett's investment acumen and Munger's broad thinking—can create extraordinary results. As Munger himself noted, "Warren's a better investor than I am, but I'm more of a generalist... We think better in tandem."
The creative partnership between Steve Jobs and Jony Ive at Apple shows how a visionary leader paired with a design genius can transform industries. Their regular, intense collaboration sessions produced innovations that neither could have developed alone.
The dynamic duo of Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson from "Parks and Recreation" perfectly illustrates how opposing perspectives can create effective balance. Leslie's boundless optimism, extroversion, and belief in government's potential pairs remarkably well with Ron's pragmatic skepticism, introversion, and commitment to self-reliance. Despite their philosophical differences, their mutual respect and complementary approaches helped them accomplish far more than either could alone—Leslie providing the vision and energy while Ron offering grounding wisdom and practical constraints. Their partnership demonstrates how even seemingly contradictory viewpoints can create a powerful alliance when built on a foundation of shared values and respect.
The Benefits of Collaborative Mastery
Working with a practice partner accelerates growth in several key ways:
Expanded Perspective
No matter how insightful you are, you have blind spots. A practice partner helps you see the board from different angles, identifying opportunities and threats you might miss on your own.
I often find myself relying on my practice partners for different things. I have ones that I validate if my approach with my boss is right. I have ones that I discuss what organizational changes might mean for our team. I have ones that I go to when I just need to blow off steam when frustrated.
Accelerated Learning
As leadership scholar Warren Bennis observed, "It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from followers." A practice partner creates a continuous improvement loop that accelerates skill development far beyond what solo learning can achieve.
Enhanced Resilience
Organizational challenges inevitably create setbacks. A practice partner provides support during difficult times and helps you extract meaningful lessons from failures, building the resilience needed for long-term success.
When organizational changes happen especially, it can be helpful to do some scenario planning with a close colleague and develop some plans around those different scenarios. You may not need them but knowing you have them can be tremendously comforting.
Increased Accountability
It's easy to abandon personal development in the face of daily pressures. A practice partner creates mutual accountability that keeps both of you focused on strategic growth despite competing demands.
Finding Your Partner: Practical Steps
Ready to find your organizational practice partner? Consider these approaches:
Look Beyond Obvious Choices: Your ideal partner might not be in your department or even your organization. Consider professional associations, alumni networks, or industry groups.
Seek Contrast, Not Conflict: Look for someone with different perspectives but compatible communication styles. Too much similarity limits growth, but fundamental communication conflicts can derail partnership.
Establish Reciprocity: Ensure the relationship benefits both parties. One-sided partnerships rarely last.
Evaluate and Evolve: Periodically assess whether the partnership continues to serve both of your needs, and be willing to adapt the structure as you both grow.
The Partnership Advantage
In organizational chess, the right practice partner doesn't just add to your capabilities—they transform them. What emerges from a strong partnership isn't simply the sum of two skill sets, but an entirely new level of strategic intelligence that neither player could access alone. This transformation happens when different perspectives collide, creating insights that wouldn't exist in isolation.
These strategic partnerships aren't just professional assets—they're the catalysts that accelerate your organizational mastery. Like championship chess players who reach new heights through rigorous practice with talented seconds, your ability to navigate complex organizational dynamics will evolve faster and more completely with the right partner at your side.
The question isn't whether you need a practice partner—it's who that partner should be. Look for someone who challenges your assumptions, complements your blind spots, and shares your commitment to growth. As you continue developing your organizational intelligence, consider who already plays this role in your professional life—or who could. The most powerful partnerships often begin with a simple conversation about shared challenges and mutual growth. Your next level of organizational mastery may be just one partnership away.
