Often a reference is made to “winning an argument.” But the truth is, no one wants to lose in an argument, so instead of truly winning, an argument generally puts distance between people. You can walk away feeling superior, but it isn’t a win in an organization if anyone walks away feeling like a loser, or unappreciated. Competition has much the same result. Someone gets to walk away feeling like a winner, but everyone else feels they lost. That doesn’t strengthen your company or team. It divides it.
What approach your people take will be determined in great part by the way you lead. Over the decades, many leaders managed to have successful organizations while pitting their people against each other, but few people were happy in those environments. In a time when unemployment is only a step or two away from 0%, you don’t want unhappy people. You want to give them every reason to love what they do, where they work, and the people that lead them.
To accomplish a cooperative culture, there are several things you should encourage. If you don’t have this situation already, the change needs to begin with your behavior and the programs you implement now. These should focus on including others in every phase of what your company does. No, not just as workers, but as planners, idea generators, and more. Here are a few ideas to start with:
Often a reference is made to “winning an argument.” But the truth is, no one wants to lose in an argument, so instead of truly winning, an argument generally puts distance between people. You can walk away feeling superior, but it isn’t a win in an organization if anyone walks away feeling like a loser, or unappreciated. Competition has much the same result. Someone gets to walk away feeling like a winner, but everyone else feels they lost. That doesn’t strengthen your company or team. It divides it.
What approach your people take will be determined in great part by the way you lead. Over the decades, many leaders managed to have successful organizations while pitting their people against each other, but few people were happy in those environments. In a time when unemployment is only a step or two away from 0%, you don’t want unhappy people. You want to give them every reason to love what they do, where they work, and the people that lead them.
To accomplish a cooperative culture, there are several things you should encourage. If you don’t have this situation already, the change needs to begin with your behavior and the programs you implement now. These should focus on including others in every phase of what your company does. No, not just as workers, but as planners, idea generators, and more. Here are a few ideas to start with:
Written by
Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces reporting, research, and analysis across thirty verticals — communications, reputation, AI visibility, public affairs, media systems, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era. Publishing since 2009.
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