Why We Fear Competition
There have been two interesting controversies that I have mulled over this summer:
1. The Society of Human Resource Management entering the certification space
2. The entrance of UBER into the public transportation space
What do these seemingly disparate concepts have in common?
Competition was introduced into a otherwise controlled market.
The entities who had controlled the aforementioned markets have expressed their discontent. There are many points, facts and figures to validate their discontent. If we are being honest, the resulting discontent is a affect of an unchallenged entity being challenged.
The facts may speak to an unfair playing field. The emotions have been spiked because those playing a game without a scoreboard have to compete again.
When it's all said and done all parties involved will benefit and grow from the competition. The quality of service will improve, the consumer benefit will be escalated, and operational efficiency will be fine-tuned.
The behavioral economics concept of Game Theory introduces the point that creating a competition (the game of chess for instance) is a practice in elevating the skill level of all competitors.
It is a simple fact that if the only challenge to our excellence are self-defined norms, progress plateau is inevitable.
Character Revealed
When Jay Adams entered the sport of skateboarding those who had held the mantel were beside themselves... they claimed he was breaking the rules when in fact he was recreating them. His unconventional style turned a sport into a lifestyle; he put a dent in the universe.
Those who use past results to control company culture have arrived at their position of power through happenstance. If you cannot prove your relevance every day, you deserve to be challenged.
We cannot succeed without being challenged. Our ideas, business concepts, certification processes, and transportation standards deserve to be challenged.
The misnomer of competition is that there is a winner and a loser in each game. We all win if we all learn.
Comfort is the furthest thing from greatness!
Challenge your process every day! ... and if there is no one left to challenge you, go pick a fight!
- Dave Kovacovich
Sales Director
9yI love this article, and I can really relate. I find it when I am challenged, I tend to not just become better at something, but I tend to find new ways to do it.