Competition puts pressure on people. The bend and squeeze brings out some fascinating qualities as we struggle to cope and to emerge as winners. Put under pressure, some people shine like diamonds, while others fumble, or lose their sense of sportsmanship in the bitter desperation for victory.
Corporate competition is subtler. But to reach your goals, it still requires that you learn the rules of the game.
I recently returned from the World Championships for Public Speaking in the United States - something like an Olympics for speakers - in which each international representative is provided with seven minutes. a stage, and carte blanche to do as we pleased within those parameters.
What struck a chord with me was not the presentations themselves - although they were superb - but the attitudes of the contestants. I have never seen such sportsmanship!
Before each speaker walked up to the stage, to face an audience of two thousand people and eighteen judges, we received words of encouragement and pats on the back from all our fellow competitors in the front row. When we returned to our seats, there were hugs and handshakes in abundance. No malice. No spite. Just honest camaraderie, despite the stakes.
Does that sound like the world you compete in?
Most competitions aren't that pretty. And aren't we always competing in life? In one sense or another, we pit ourselves against others for many reasons, be it for jobs, promotions, important pitches, or in a concerted effort for a competitive edge against a rival company in our market. For many of us, it could be simply the desire to better our own personal best. Competition is always present.
There are four rules I've learnt about doing well in competitions, and they apply no matter what game you compete in. As a hungry sole entrepreneur or focused corporate climber, these guidelines will provide you with an edge:
1. DON'T MIS-COMPETE. LEARN THE ACTUAL DYNAMICS OF THE GAME
How often don't we pour our hearts and souls into what we do, only to find out that the goalposts were somewhere else entirely? The first irrefutable rule of competing successfully is to understand the actual dynamics of the game.
Your judges (be they referees, employers, a selection committee, or even the history books) have certain criteria. Begin by determining what is really required of you, not what you assume might be. Then meet those criteria. This is true whether you are applying for a job, vying for a promotion, or even raising children.
It is a frightening truth that less than 10% of people in any field read the publications relevant to their industry. Most journalists don't read newspapers and your average salesman is not big on sales books. By thoroughly understanding the dynamics of your particular game, you will already have gained a competitive edge over most of your rivals.
So if your goal is promotion, stop and ask yourself: what does that actually require. Doing your current job well might not be the answer. The actual answer might be improving your social skills. Or your leadership skills. Or starting to network with the right people.
And don't be bitter when others surpass you by doing things that you are not doing. Instead, understand that is how the game works and learn to play it.
2. SHORTEN YOUR LEARNING CURVE BY OBSERVING THE BEST
There's no sense in reinventing the wheel. The mistakes have already been made for you and the knowledge is out there, in the form of books, mentors, magazines, blogs and courses. Go and observe the best. Talk to them. Continually question what it is they do that sets them apart.
Also, question anything that appears to be wrong, slow, or ineffective in those around you. There's an old saying among writers that points out you can learn more about writing from reading a badly written book than a good one. And it's true, provided you observe with a critical eye: What works? What doesn't? Why?
Don't just follow the blue-print blindly. When it comes to your inherited work-process, you might be able to find a better way and compete more effectively by standing out.
3. BRING YOUR OWN UNIQUE FLAVOUR
You should always view learning from the best as merely one step in the competition process. It is not the end goal. In other words, learn what works for the masters, but don't stop at trying to clone them. Bring your own flavour to the competition. You will often find that the true legends in any field have not only mastered the fundamentals, but also disagree with them on some counts, seeing areas where they can act differently and do better. They trust their gut and go for it.
Most top performers are not the product of pure mathematical formula. They have added something that is uniquely them. Once you have learnt the basics, don't forget to add your own individual flare. Make it yours. No one else is you, and that alone can set you apart.
4. CHARACTER COUNTS!
Don't forget that life carries on after the competition. You are in no way exempt from the rules of being a human being, including courtesy and good sportsmanship. Showing yourself to be a sore-loser, or stepping on people on your way up, will only backfire, and it can backfire badly. People like fair play, and their sensors are always on, looking for the cheat.
Plus, do you really want look back on your victory and know that you did it by being a low worth individual? That all it took was total compromise on your values? That seems a hollow victory.
Competitions present the opportunity to find out what you have within you. Daily competition in your work environment does the same. Learn from it. Insist on bettering your own performance the next time round. Think your way strategically through your competition. Understand the dynamics, learn from the best, and bring your own unique flavour to the game.
And one more thing: don't forget to enjoy the process!
"Now YOU Can Create Professional 3D Animations, Games And Graphic Models Like Pixar and Dreamworks In 2 Hours or Less..."
