At birth it is said that we are all born equal. If this is true, how do you explain the different social statuses that occur throughout our lifetimes? Easy! I’m sure you all have heard of the phrase, “Survival of the Fittest.” Well, this is true in many aspects throughout life whether it’s sports, performing arts, a musical talent, acting, dancing, school, the workforce, etc. The weak often get passed over, high performers gain opportunities, but those who excel beyond gain positions of prestige; and that’s where professional sports, celebrity status, supervisory positions, and titles evolve.
As humans, it is in our nature to be naturally competitive against ourselves, each other, and even in groups. So where how is status determined? Status in any field is determined by two characteristics: Power and Influence. According to Jeffrey Pfeffer in his youtube video, Power and Influence in the Collaborative Age, power is potential and influence is power in use. This basically means that, having power gives us the potential to influence others and that influence allows us to change their perspectives in order to accomplish our overall goals.
According to Jared Lewis,” Competition in the workplace can be a good thing for a number of different reasons. By the same token though, competition can also have some disadvantages. Some industries are more conducive to competition in the workplace than others.” Lewis futhermore goes on to emphasize how competition empacts production, self-improvement, teamwork, and even list disadvantages.
Production
One of the main advantages of competition in the workplace is that it can create an environment where employees push each other to exceed their normal limits, which can result in increased production, both at an individual level and among the entire workforce as a whole. As individual production numbers increase, so do those of the entire team of workers who seek to outdo one another. Competition can be rewarded with bonuses or various types of rewards.
Self-improvement
Another way in which workplace competition can be an advantage for workers is that it can spur a commitment to self-improvement. While financial incentives and bonuses are always a plus to get the competition going, those who see the bigger picture may take the competition as an opportunity to better themselves in the process of winning the competition. Self-improvement may include actions like changing work habits to be more organized, using visualization and goal setting to achieve goals and simply performing higher quality work.
Teamwork
Not all competition in the workplace necessarily has to take place at the individual level. Competition can engender a sense of teamwork in the workplace when workers are placed in groups and asked to compete with one another, which can have a number of positive results that come from workers cooperating with each other. For example, workers can learn the value of communication and helping someone else, both of which can spill over into other areas of work like customer service.
Disadvantages
Workplace competition is not always positive. It can create unhealthy rivalries that result in workers resenting one another, which is especially true if one person or team always wins the competitions. This can result in a gap between the “haves” and “have nots” that may prove to be unhealthy in internal work relations. Competition can also create undue stress that may actually prove to be counterproductive to some worker’s efforts. Some workers don’t perform well under pressure and are actually more productive when the work environment allows for a more easygoing approach to getting work done. Fierce competition may also result in a “win at all costs” attitude that may even bring out the worst in some workers.
With life being so competitive one this is for sure, in order to gain power one must be willing to work for it. In life, sometimes great opportunities will smack us in the face and we are granted a life to explicit status, however for the most part no one is going to give you anything. Everything is earned. No matter whether you’re an athlete, student, employee, military personnel, etc the truth of the matter 9/10 is that if you want to become a starter, your performance must be higher than your teammates; if you want to pass your class, you must be willing to study; if you want to move up in your status at work, your performance must be above your fellow co-workers and you must exhibit that you are mature enough for a senior position, and as military personnel in positions of authority you must show that you are capable of leading or you will be removed.
In other words, and I do believe Jeffrey Pfeffer said it best, “Leadership has nothing to do with the amount of power that you have.” A great leader can be powerless, but a leader with power and influence has the capabilities to impact several areas of their individual lives and their peers lives.
Don’t get left behind in the race for success. Instead take the steps necessary to gain power and start influencing your life.
REFERENCE
Lewis, J. (2012, March 04). The advantages and disadvantages of a competitive workplace. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-competitive-workplace-16085.html
Pfeffer, J. (Performer) (2012). How to win power and influence people [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWjdQgRiG28