Is the way we manage business all wrong?

Most leaders (and organisations), by their nature are competitive.

In sports, business, and almost all areas of life we not only like to ask ‘Who’s number one?’, we want to be number one and we constantly compare ourselves to that standard.??

‘Am I the biggest, the fastest, the wealthiest, the most profitable?’

I believe these are the wrong questions to ask, and take us down the wrong path if our goal is to succeed.

I believe that the ancients understood the nature of competition better then than we do today.

The root of the word ‘compete’ does not mean to beat a competitor but to strive together for a common purpose (com- ‘together’ + -petere ‘strive, aim, seek’)

I believe that success is to be found not by striving to be better than others or to meet a fixed target, but by striving to be the best that we can become - hey we might even beat the target.

We have control over the latter, but not the former.

Time spent comparing ourselves to others (are we bigger, have we grown market share) is time wasted.??

Instead we should work hard to become the best that we can be.??

Do that and we can call ourselves a success.??

Do less and we’ve fallen short, whatever the external result might say.

To be successful we must discipline ourselves to focus on and worry about only those things that we can control, namely our own capabilities and character, the value we provide to our customers, and the inspiration, encouragement and support we give to our team.

Whether that results in us outscoring our competitors – in ‘winning the race’ – is something we shouldn’t lose too much sleep over.

But success (striving to become the best that we can become) is always within our reach, regardless of the score, standings, or opinions of others.

I believe that success is found in the running of the race.??

The effort we put into how we run the race – our drive, credibility, vision, and ability to create the environment where the team can unleash their potential – counts for everything.??

Winning is a by-product, an after-effect of that effort.

I believe that it’s the quality of our effort and creativity in the face of adversity that counts most and offers the greatest and most long-lasting satisfaction.

Cervantes had it right ‘The journey is better than the inn.’

Or as Iwould say ‘The joy is in the journey of pushing ourselves to the outward limits of our ability in a meaningful direction and teaching our organisation to do the same.’

I think that most competitors share that feeling.

They recognise that the ultimate reward is the competitive process rather than some subsequent reward or glory bought about by winning.

I believe that Great Leaders focus less on ‘winning’ – hitting a revenue or profit target or beating a competitor – and more on the never-ending journey of trying to become the best that you’re capable of becoming.

As Coach Wooden, one of the most successful basketball coaches ever, said, ‘Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.’

Winning the race may be the standard that others judge you by.

But Great Competitors know there is a standard higher than merely winning the race, namely the effort they put in while running the race.

Effort is the ultimate standard.

As Angela Duckworth noted in her book ‘Grit’, effort counts twice.

Talent x effort = skill

Skill x effort = achievement

So, Achievement = talent x effort squared

Our definition of success shapes everything

As we have seen, there are two ways we can view success.

We either define success as winning, or being number one – where success is achieved by attaining the highest rank or surpassing others in a competitive context.

Or we can define success as maximising our potential (in the broadest sense of ourselves, our team and our organisation), personal growth, and self-improvement.

The implication of that choice, that perception, drives everything.

Let’s start by walking through the implications of defining success as ‘winning the race’.

Definition of success?Success is about winning, being number one, or delivering a particular target.

Focus of success?External validation, comparison with others, and achieving a specific position or title.

Measurement of success?Achieving a specific ranking, beating competitors or achieving a target.

Mindset?Promotes a fixed mindset where we place an emphasis on outperforming others or reaching a fixed goal.

Perception of challenges?Challenges seen as roadblocks to demolish or competitors to beat.

Approach to challenges?Focus on delivering the result, often at the expense of personal or team wellbeing, or personal growth and development

Perception of others (often team members)?it's a constant game of one-upmanship; am I better than you; did you deliver your results (or not)??Can promote envy of others’ success and unhealthy internal competition.

Sense of fulfilment and happiness?Can be fleeting, as success is dependent on ‘winning the race’ which may or may not happen; and comes and goes fleetingly.

By contrast we see a very different sequence of events when we choose to define success as ‘how we run the race’.

Definition of success?Success is about the continuous pursuit of self-improvement and development maximising the potential of yourself, your team and your organisation.

Focus of success?Internal fulfillment, self-reflection, personal development, and embracing one's unique journey.

Measurement of success?Level of achievement relative to one’s own potential (you, your team and your organisation).?The only person you’re competing with is yourself.

Mindset?A growth mindset that values continuous learning, self-improvement, and embracing challenges.

Perception of challenges?Challenges are catalysts for personal development and gaining new skills.

Approach to challenges?Challenges are there to be embraced, an opportunity for learning, growth and self-discovery.?The obstacle is the way.

Perception of others (often team members):?my job as a leader is to help everyone in the tem maximise their potential.?Working with others offers a chance to learn from their success, contribute to each other’s growth and work together to achieve as a team what could not be achieved by an individual.

Sense of fulfilment and happiness?A sense of happiness and fulfilment can be found in each moment of progress towards the objective.?Happiness is no longer tied to the destination but the journey.

The big question we all need to ask is 'how are we conditioning our organisation?'

Is all our emphasis on the end result, the budget number, the target?

It's like wanting a holiday house. We all want one, but are we putting in the work that will get us one?

Same in business.

Is our focus on keeping people accountable to the work, the effort that generates the result? And are we celebrating and enjoying the fulfilment that comes along the way?

How are you managing your business?

#happiness #leadership #performancemanagement