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Should Team Members Compete With Each Other?

How does inserting competition into your daily relationships effect those relationships?

When I was very young I competed for places on sports teams. I had to be better skilled (or in some cases better connected) than other potential team members just to make the team. Once on the team, we were often pitted against each other in competition for the inner rewards of being on the team: playing regularly, getting positive feedback, getting the admiration of our peers in the crowd.

But the cost was ever so high. Competing so strongly against other youth who played the same position, we did not help each other. Instead of making each other stronger and better prepared, we worked on our personal skills and hoped our own places were secure. They weren't.

There is always someone better at what you do. If they are on the same team and do not help you, they may stay better than you but they are not as strong as they could be -- and of course, neither are you.

Team members who are forced to compete with each other soon lose sight of the team vision.

It does not have to be that way. Imagine a playing field where everyone who wants to be on a team is on a team -- and that team works to make both itself and every member continually stronger and more effective.

Extend that even further. What if every team then set out to help every other team to become stronger.

Some people might say that that is what competition does. Maybe in its original sense, including camaraderie and deep respect for your competitors. There is room to include that again.

Why not start on your team? Why not start with yourself?

When we find ourselves reaching for a competitive edge, what would we do differently to find a cooperative edge as well?

We can build each other up without tearing each other down AND enjoy the fun of games playing in the process. Let's just not put our game ahead of our character...

What do you think?

-- Douglas Brent Smith

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  1. AnonymousDecember 21, 2011 at 12:14 PM

    This is a good article. I classified competing in respectful competition or unrespectful competition. Respect competition mean teammates compete with each others in an optimistic and joyful environment. It involve much more team corporation and helping each others compare to unrespect competition. This also is what company usually wanted. Unrespect competition mean teammates compete with each others roughly which involve selfish, hidden, offensive and disconnected team spirit as you describe teens or youth competing in sport. (Usually happened on senior middle class and unsuccessful career old employee).

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  2. Doug SmithDecember 21, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    Thanks for your comment. I agree that respect on a team is extremely important. I also agree that it is possible to compete with respect. So often we can build relationships that way. Respect for those we compete with helps us to take our tasks seriously and to focus on our values even more.

    It takes a truly centered leader to be able to balance competition and respect within a team though. How have you seen that work?

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