Is there healthy competition?

This is a very polemic question and generates big discussions.

Many people say competition may be healthy and in this model it provides big benefits for the people and for the companies. They say competition increases productivity, improves performance, brings better results, among other factors. Nevertheless, they point out that you must be careful so as not to become harmful.

In my opinion, the only “healthy” and beneficial competition is against ourselves. We always have to look for our better version, longing to be better than we were yesterday.

In my professional experience as a team leader, I realized this approach has the same benefits as the “healthy competition”. However, there is a great advantage which is it's easy to create team spirit, where one helps the other to develop themselves, because everybody wants to be better and make the unit or the company achieve the goals.

Even regarding rival companies, I always reaffirm we must respect the company and mainly the employees, because the products and the company may be competitors, but not the people.

An interesting fact is that I've practiced different martial arts for over 20 years. Among the many lessons learned, such as respect, honor, dedication and perseverance, the one that got my attention the most was the matter of teamwork and competition. Of course everybody wishes to get better and improve themselves, aiming to be the best fighter. However, if a fighter stands out from the other members of the team too much, who will he train with? Is there a point in only one person winning and the other fighters always losing? With this thought, I've always noticed in martial arts there is a strong collaboration where everybody tries to teach and to learn from everybody, aiming for the continuous evolution of all the fighters in the team.

Competition exists, but against other teams and especially against ourselves. The goal becomes to be better than we were in the past. Consequently, we start helping other fighters to also reach their better versions.

This is a lesson I take to my personal and professional life. When I lead a team in a company, I try to bring this knowledge and make one help the other to improve themselves. I want them to be competitive, but against themselves.