Centered Leaders Create No Losers

Do you pride yourself on being highly competitive?

Do your actions as a leader create winners and losers?

What becomes of the losers?

I would submit to you that creating winners and losers accomplishes one thing extraordinarily well: It perpetuates conflict.

The more significant the win, the longer term the conflict. It may take a long time for losing to whiplash it's side effects, but the side effects are sure and harsh.

We're not talking about games, sports, or the competition that is necessary in the marketplace in certain industries to assure fairness and economy. We're talking about competing with such a fierce habit of destruction that the "enemy" is crushed. Don't kid yourself though - an enemy is never permanently crushed, just as a friend is never permanently reliable.

What is reliable is leading with strong principles. What is reliable is leading with clarity, courage, creativity and compassion. Within that compassion is a high regard for every constituent in a leader's life -- and that includes the "competition".

The highest level of leadership creates no losers. Losses perhaps, but not losers. Respect remains, and learning occurs best when people and organizations treat each other with dignity.

Can you compete without creating losers? What would that look like in your organization?

-- Douglas Brent Smith

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