As a Gator fan (a requisite for living in Gainesville, Florida) I see the amazing passion and frenzy that happens at every game; it’s us against them. It’s all about competition and winning! Yet we often forget that the same attitude in the work environment can lead to frustration, animosity and lots of tension.
Think of the last meeting you were in where yelling or insults were the norm; two people each proving they were right. It’s almost a daily rite of passage, who can show they’re smarter or righter or can get in the last word.
What if we left the competitive mind set for college/professional sports, and adapted an entirely different focus for the rest of our lives? What if there was no enemy, everyone was on the same team and we didn’t have to prove each other wrong? Mutual tolerance turns into mutual respect, and we decide to listen instead of interrupt, every time we hear an idea we consider foreign or wrong.
There’s a saying that most people are winners; some are disguised as losers. Don’t let their disguises fool you. Today let’s look through the disguises—and there are many—to the potential in the person or the idea. It enables us to work smarter, use our energy for more important things and be a great deal less stressed and happier!
