DiscoverNCSL PodcastsLegislative Leadership and the Infinite Game | OAS Episode 253
Legislative Leadership and the Infinite Game | OAS Episode 253

Legislative Leadership and the Infinite Game | OAS Episode 253

Update: 2025-12-07
Share

Description

On this episode we sat down with Curt Stedron, director of NCSL’s Legislative Training Institute, to discuss a presentation he made at this year’s Legislative Summit in Boston on how game theory can help legislative leaders better understand the notion of leading in an infinite game. 

Stedron draws on the work of game theorist James Carse and author Simon Sinek, who popularized Carse’s theories. Stedron explained that the legislature, like many other areas of life, is really an infinite game, where the purpose is to perpetuate the game rather than win it. 

However, as Stedron explains, most people, including many of those in the legislature, actually approach their work as a finite game and that misconception can hamper their efforts to be effective leaders.

Resources

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Legislative Leadership and the Infinite Game | OAS Episode 253

Legislative Leadership and the Infinite Game | OAS Episode 253

Curt Stedron, Ed Smith