COMPETITION

Our culture has begun to disparage a subject that has previously made us successful as a country and is largely responsible for the current USA world power status. That subject is competition. All humans are born with an innate biological trait to survive, meaning we automatically try to acquire basic needs such as food. That survival instinct is also seen in nature with each species using other species as their food source. Websters defines competition as the act of seeking or endeavoring to gain that for which another is striving; a contest or match. When two lone male lions are after a single wildebeest, one will be fed and the other will keep searching or join a pride as an underling to eat last. At the core of the subject, competitors become better when there is competition. The contest causes each competitor to improve. In the lion example, the one still searching is forced to improve it's hunting or fighting ability for basic survival. The same pressures apply in all societies, in all business, in all aspects of life. The wisdom of competition is the improvement process we must all go through to be more successful in any aspect. That process always includes responding to unsuccessful outcomes. Without competition the sometimes painful lessons won't be learned and the result is we will be weaker, as a person, as a team, as a business, or as a country.

A key difference between humans and lions is how the competition is handled, but lion prides do give us a hint. Some people think the discipline competition teaches should be avoided but it is a crucial part of the action plan process people require. On the other hand, we have the ability to learn how to have proper relationships with our competitors. Picture a family table with multiple children and one plate of food. Children are taught to share the food for the good of the others in the family. They are each in competition for the food but learn to share for a larger cause than themselves. This thought applies to all people. Jesus said in Matthew 15:17 "This is what I command you: love one another". This does not take away the responsibility for each to work. 2nd Thessalonians 3:10 says "in fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: If anyone isn't willing to work, he should not eat". In the famous parable of the talents in Matthew 25 the responsibility to compete in the marketplace was given based on their ability. The one given five talents earned the most, by doubling his money, while the one with only one talent made nothing because he did nothing. The lesson was not for the one with all the talents to provide for the one with only one, quite the opposite. Verse 28 and 29 quotes Jesus; "So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him". It's not as cruel as it may sound because a crucial lesson must be learned. An old saying applies here: Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.

Alfie Kohn, a speaker and author, has published among his 10 books one titled "NO CONTEST: the case against competition". He is also famous for his stance against standardized testing in schools as well as all homework. As a critic against workplace management and the entire education system, he focuses on the thought of winning at the expense of others and success at the expense of failure for others. In his view the comparison of your results with any other is what produces winners and losers, causing self-esteem issues to anyone not at the top of any list. This extremely dangerous thought by him and others has leaked into our education system and is producing an entire generation of Americans that are not able to compete in the global marketplace the preceding generation has left them. India and China each have more high school honor students than the USA has high school students. While a need to develop collaborative teams is certainly a part of the competitive response required, it is ridiculous to whitewash the reality that our best and brightest are being held back by this mind set. The zero sum game mentality (not understanding the marketplace continues to enlarge) believes that all winners cause losers. The reality is that there can be more winners than losers but there will never be a situation where everyone "wins" equally because the abilities, motivations, and situations are all different. Interactive human relationships go through this same competitive process with marriage partners, friends, neighbors, and politics all results of known or unknown competition.

The anti-trust laws passed by Congress and cooperative theories of Adam Smith greatly influenced the competitive business environment I've grown up in. The Bible clearly covers how we are to live, including numerous stories of enemies, competitors, and relationships. Proverbs 24:17 says "Don't gloat when your enemy falls, and don't let your heart rejoice when he stumbles". Matthew 5:43-44 says "You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you". The destructive view of competition isn't really about competition at all, but the human response by some competitors who have lost confidence. One of the sports I enjoy watching is boxing. Mike Tyson was working with a winning record when he fought Evander Holyfield. In the process of being beaten he became frustrated and bit Evander's ear. When the bout was started again he bit a chunk of his ear completely off. He lost on the resulting disqualification rather than a knockout or decision. When we struggle as country competing in an industry, our government adds a tax for imports from a competing country to even the playing field. While there may be situations where that is the reality, the marketplace is the best place for this balance. Capitalism is the economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and operated for profit under fully competitive conditions. Communism is the economic system in which all means of production are owned by the society and operated under controlled conditions. A "feel good" intervention by governments in business and society is almost always bad. Beware the politicians that promises what they or government can do for you.

Nearly all the modern world now has some form of a capitalist economic system, despite varying government systems. This came about because the competition in the global marketplace forced the weaker, less productive communist system to change. Adaptability became the result of the seeking, or endeavoring to gain that for which others were striving, a response to a competitive marketplace. As people, as businesses, as a country we are also striving for things that many others are striving for. It makes them harder to achieve, causing us to be more innovative, forcing us to face our weaknesses, motivating us to work harder. We can and should stop destructive practices by those like Mike Tyson, who recognize they are losing and wish to hurt others in the process. We should never believe those practices make competition a bad thing, just the unacceptable response to competition. For many people these lessons are taught in team sports. When the right guard in football doesn't do his job the quarterback is sacked as a result. That competition is in response to an opposing team. Prior to the season, each of the players were in competition with others for a spot on the team, as well as first string or second string (an internal competition). As an industry, all the football teams combined are in competition for television time with other sports or other shows. Levels of competition are all around us, so we must be wise enough to measure the talent and motivation required to achieve. The level of individual effort, the leadership required of key positions, and the balance required of a well rounded life are all components of your achievement plan. So, learn how to compete in a civil way and work your plan. One last thing; the marketplace is dynamic and changes constantly, so include in your plan continual awareness of your competitors changes. It's a competitive world out there so continual improvement of yourself shows wisdom.