Who Is Your PEPSI?
You’re Larry Bird. Who is your Magic Johnson?
You’re Coca Cola. Who is your Pepsi?
If you’re wishing or wanting, or it’s true, that you don’t have any real competition (so much more to say on that later), think again. Without competition, you have no reason to run. Neither does your staff if that’s a problem you have.
You’d do better to find competition, invite, and create some drama in order to elevate your game.
STAFF SOLUTIONS
If you have a staff, don’t create internal competition if you want unity. That splits your team apart, makes each individual vie for your attention and praise and otherwise see your staff meetings as blood baths even if you don’t feel it. They do, I can assure you. I’ve seen it. I’ve been in some of those meetings. In the early years I saw it with sales teams. They became pitted against each other. No one- except the single sales guy who shined during a particular week – was very happy about it. Then it was fleeting because that week was over and he or she was already into a new week of what have you done for me lately.
I’ve seen it happen among people in charge of programs. No joint win or celebration. Instead, hollow rewards for the one singled out.
Each department meets on it’s own. No integration or visit from other departments can leave everyone planning their unique strategy that instead of taking programs, services, customers experiences to the next level… to a disjointed machine operating but not humming.
LOOK for A REASON to GET AN EDGE
There’s a story about Larry Bird and Magic – long time rivals – that illustrates how important it is to have competition. The tension and drive it creates makes you work, focus, and reach outside your current self. If you don’t feel you have competition? You don’t feel you need to increase … anything… to take home a paycheck you need? You’re not going to grow, work harder, or feel the little bit of nervous when you get ready to go to work.
You need to find – not someone to defeat or slaughter – but at the least someone to better you.
Another group fitness offering in town. Another personal training program in town. Another tennis or swimming program. Find it. Use it to inspire more leveling up in your team. If they are status quo, and you give them competition – or find it for yourself – the ones who are going to step up…will. The ones who don’t step up, never will.