1 September 2025
Summary:
How Chess Can Teach Us Communication, Roles, and Organisational Strategy
Chess is more than a game — it’s a masterclass in leadership. Each piece reflects roles, styles, and strategies we find in organisations. From pawns to kings, the board teaches us teamwork, communication, and vision. In DBMoJo, we use these lessons to shape digital storytellers and leaders who move with purpose, not just power.
Why Chess — and Why MoJo?
The game begins. It’s our daily work, teamwork, communication. We’ve got people. We’ve got goals. We’ve got rules. We even speak the same language. But are we truly playing like a well-synced chess team? Does every piece know its place, its move – and most importantly… who it’s protecting?
In Don Bosco Mobile Journalism, we don’t just teach how to film or write. We build teams. We train digital missionaries who need to think strategically — about roles, goals, and collaboration.
Just like on a chessboard, our work is full of moving pieces: writers, videographers, editors, storytellers, social media leads. If they don’t move in sync — the message fails.
Understanding who does what, how they communicate, and why they matter — that’s not just smart. That’s mission-critical.
The board is stronger when every move has purpose.
Who Are You on the Board
The 8×8 Board – Defining the Field
The chessboard isn’t just a pretty grid. It’s a system. A set of rules. Limitations. And potential.
64 squares – light and dark, side by side, in perfect order. Like the organisational landscape: departments, projects, teams, budgets. Everyone has a place. Everyone has a role. But only together does strategy emerge. Without a common goal, even the most mobile piece won’t win the game.
Pawns – The Ones Who Make the First Move
They’re first into the fray. Often underestimated – but it all starts with them.
Pawns are your frontliners – they unlock the game. Once they move, everything else comes to life: rooks, bishops, queen. Only a pawn can become a queen – a powerful symbol of growth and promotion. But… pawns can’t move backwards. Just like decisions that can’t be undone.
In MoJo, pawns are often our youngest creators — the ones covering stories from the ground, with a smartphone and a mission. They’re not yet senior, but their move unlocks everything else.
Knight – The Quiet Innovator
The only piece that can leap over others. The knight bends the rules, sidesteps obstacles, and finds solutions where others see walls.
It moves in L-shapes – sometimes confusing, always intentional. Knights are creative changemakers, pathfinders who often work in the shadows. Short range – but massive agility.
The knight is that MoJo team member who finds unexpected solutions: shooting through a window for depth, telling a story from a unique angle, using AI to enhance subtitles. Knights bring creativity and agility — and often work behind the scenes.
Bishop – The Deep Specialist
Only moves diagonally. Only on one colour. But with long reach.
Bishops are experts – they go deep in one field. They know their lane better than anyone. But they need a partner: the other bishop, working on the opposite colour. They rarely cross paths – but together, they create a balanced expert strategy.
In DBMoJo, bishops are your technical brains: audio experts, visual editors, fact-checkers. They may not post often, but they ensure every story is true, polished, and purposeful. They stay in their “lane” — but that lane goes deep.
Rook – Structure and Stability
Moves vertically and horizontally. The queen of logic. The symbol of process and order.
Rooks are strong – but predictable. They thrive in open space and structured environments. Perfect for large organisations, or when the board is clear and defined. Rooks usually come in pairs. They support each other… or sometimes clash. They ride the same tracks and might fight for space – unlike bishops, who politely stay on their colour.
The rook in a MoJo team is the project manager or coordinator — the one setting timelines, managing platforms, preparing content calendars. They keep everything running on schedule. Maybe not flashy — but essential.
Queen – The Operational Powerhouse
The strongest piece on the board. Moves any direction, any distance. She’s your COO – Chief Operating Officer.
Tremendous power. When she moves – the whole team breathes. But even she needs backup. Without pawns, without cover – she stands alone. And alone, she can’t win the game.
In a MoJo team, the queen could be the one who pulls it all together: coordinates video, checks captions, talks to the press, uploads on time. She’s fast, flexible — and essential. But even she needs her crew.
King – The CEO: Thinks, Doesn’t Rush
The most important piece. Moves one square at a time – slowly, strategically, carefully.
He is vision. He is purpose. He is the CEO – not rushing through daily tasks, but observing, setting direction, maintaining balance. The entire team plays for him – not because of ego, but because losing him… means game over.
In MoJo, the king might be the overall coordinator or communication director — the one who defines vision, sets priorities, aligns projects with the broader Salesian mission. He doesn’t post daily — but when he speaks, people listen.
Teamwork and Defence
🔹Chess may be a game of individuals – but it’s won by teams.
🔹Pawns protect the king. Bishops cover the rooks. Knights shield the queen. Everything matters.
🔹One mistake. One careless move – and you lose a piece, a position, an opportunity. Maybe even the whole game.
🔹The way pieces communicate matters. Every move changes the shape of the team.
Communication Style = Movement Style
Each chess piece moves differently. And each team member communicates differently. Movement is language. Style is personality.
Now, imagine each piece not in black or white — but in colour. Not random colours, but the four communication styles from Thomas Erikson:
🔴 Red – direct and fast.
🔵 Blue – analytical and structured.
🟡 Yellow – creative and enthusiastic.
🟢 Green – calm and caring.
You see, the role on the board doesn’t determine the colour. A bishop can be blue — calm and precise. Another bishop might be red — bold and assertive. A knight might be yellow — full of ideas. Or green — a steady support. Even the king can speak gently or act with force. What matters is not the move — but the style of moving.
🎯 In a strong team, it’s not about fitting people into boxes.
It’s about recognising their colours — and learning how to work with them, move with them, grow with them.
Just like in MoJo, knowing how someone “moves” is knowing how they work: who prefers visuals? Who needs structure? Who thrives on spontaneity? Recognising the styles helps us tell stories together, not just alongside each other.
Your move style is your communication style.
Common Mistakes of “Chessboard Leaders”
Even grandmasters make mistakes. And so do leaders. You don’t have to be flawless – but you must know where the pitfalls lie.
Here are the most common traps leaders fall into:
❌ Playing Solo
They forget chess is a team game. One queen, no matter how strong, can’t win without pawns. The lone-wolf leader burns out faster than a pawn stuck on the seventh rank.
Smarter move? Delegate. Trust. Let others play too.
❌ Ignoring Others’ Styles
The rook wants clarity. The knight wants freedom. The bishop wants data. The pawn wants instructions. If you speak in just one tone, you’ll lose rhythm – and your team.
Smarter move? Learn the colours. Speak in ways your team understands.
❌ Forgetting the Clock
Time pressure is real. Some leaders delay decisions. Others rush without thinking. Either way – chaos. In chess, time is a resource. In business, too.
Smarter move? Set priorities. Lead with timing – not just tasks.
❌ Kingless Leadership
Some leaders get lost in tasks — chasing projects, deadlines, and spreadsheets. But they forget what really matters: the purpose. The vision. The “why.” In chess, if you forget the king, you lose the game. In leadership, it’s the same.
Smarter move? Lead with vision, not just motion.
❌ Avoiding the Castling
Change isn’t the enemy – stagnation is. If you keep your team in the same spot too long, you’ll lose momentum, passion, and potential.
Smarter move? Reposition. Realign. Make a castling move before the board collapses.
Every piece matters when the goal is shared.
Management Metaphors – Explained
🔹Openings – the beginning of any project or campaign.
Start strong, or risk losing momentum. In business: don’t wing it. Plan first.
🔹Opening, Midgame, Endgame – project phases.
The launch. The messy middle. The high-pressure ending. Save energy for the finale – don’t burn out in the opening act.
🔹Castling – strategic change of roles.
You protect the king, give your rook space. In teams: reshuffle roles to increase agility and safety.
🔹Check – a warning.
You’re not doomed yet, but action is needed. A crisis, a mistake, a risk. React fast – and smart.
🔹Checkmate – mission failure.
No more options. A culmination of ignored signals. Learn from it. So it doesn’t happen again.
🔹Stalemate – deadlock.
No one can move. No one dares. Not defeat – but a stop. And stopping too long leads to rot.
🔹Losing a piece – losing a key person.
A leader. An expert. A motivator. The whole board shifts. It’s not just a gap – it’s a structural shift.
🔹Pawn to Queen – a quiet worker becomes a leader.
Talent + consistency + courage = transformation. They rise. And the game changes.
🔹Dead pieces – burned out, disengaged staff.
They’re on the board, but not really playing. Wake them – or let them go.
🔹Opening traps – bad project starts.
No plan. No clarity. Just chaos. You won’t fix it later. Better to start right.
🔹Time pressure – the ticking clock.
Every project has a deadline. Every game has a clock. Don’t panic. Don’t stall. Train your timing.
A queen is powerful, but never wins alone.
Final Reflections
✅ This isn’t about turning everyone into the same kind of piece.
It’s about helping every piece understand its role — and how to move in sync with others.
✅ In organisations, just like on the chessboard, success doesn’t come from individual brilliance alone.
It comes from coordination. From clarity. From communication. Each person has a unique style — a way of working, speaking, deciding, solving. Understanding that isn’t a luxury. It’s leadership.
✅ The rook doesn’t need to act like the knight. The king doesn’t need to rush like the queen. But they all need to know each other — and respect how the others move.
That’s how strategies succeed. That’s how teams stay aligned. That’s how cultures become strong: not by uniformity, but by shared purpose.
❓So what’s the leadership lesson?
You’re not just moving pieces. You’re guiding minds, managing styles, building trust. And your job isn’t to “win” every time — but to help your people move with clarity, courage, and connection. Because in the end, the best organisations don’t just play the game. They master the board — together.
At DBMoJo, we believe media leadership is not about power — but purpose. Whether you’re filming a youth event, managing a social media team, or crafting a story that matters — your moves shape the mission. So know your piece. Know your team. And play with purpose.
❓And You?
Which chess piece are you in your organisation? Do you understand the board you’re playing on? And most importantly… are you playing for the team – or just moving on your own?
Make your next move. A smart one. Ask a teammate what colour they think in. Spot the pawn ready to rise. Maybe it’s time for your own castling.
🎯 The win might start with you.
#DBMoJo #MobileJournalism #DigitalMissionaries #ShapingTomorrow #PublicSpeaking
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Read more on our blog:
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Pan – Motion with Emotion
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Nodding – The Tilt Shot Explained
Zoom – Closer? Not Always Better
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Boom – the Elevator of Emotions