There is an adage that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with a team.” 

Human behavior is innately very competitive. Just think about these situations:

• Fighting with your siblings for the last piece of your favorite chocolate

• Teams or individuals at sports championships

• Rushing to buy pre-sale tickets for a movie or concert

• Job interviews

Competition is not inherently bad. However, it does have the tendency to hold us back from achieving our greatest potential because it is so divisive.

Collaboration, on the other hand, is all about progressing together. There is no winner unless the entire group crosses the finish line together.

In that light, collaboration is bigger than a person; it’s a culture !

Some big companies like Amazon thrive on competition, whereas others such as Microsoft and Adobe are creating more collaborative workplaces.

So, what is more effective competition or collaboration?

Let’s examine how employees operate in these two settings

In short, if you’re focused only on winning then competition is the right way to push yourself ahead. However, if you really want to make an impact, you need to work with others!

Theoretically, it sounds great, doesn’t it?

Let’s get real… The world today is very uncertain and innovation is at such a rapid pace that it can be difficult to keep up. Remember Nokia? A market leader at one point in time is now struggling.

So the natural question we need to ask is “Can’t we have both?”

Reflect on this short analogy: A wolf pack collaborates to hunt and once the hunt is complete, they compete for the flesh, with the alpha taking the bigger bite.

Organisations should recognize both competition and collaboration,  as forces each with its place in the relevant context. The best teams encourage both – reps should collaborate with their peers to compete against the industry and competitors.

One of the key things to focus on is that collaboration isn’t about ‘leveling the playing field’. It is about helping each person perform to their best level and achieve success for the company as well as themselves.

Thus, collaborative environments are those where the employees not only work together but also constantly compete with themselves to execute ideas and become better every day.

In our workshops, we help individuals define the fine line between competition and collaboration. Our People Manager Workshop helps managers create cultures which encourage this fine balance.

Connect with us to know more.