It’s a ‘Me’ Game, Not a ‘We’ Game In this book, Bazerman shows you how research and science have taught us that what we often think of as “teamwork” is really the product of individuals striving for personal success. And he illustrates the ways that many of us, when stressed, are apt to act selfishly rather than cooperatively. On the other hand, the game has changed: there are plenty of rewards for working with a team, and we can learn a great deal from the very best teams that can lead to greater individual success. All successful teams, even a super-team, benefit from cooperation and teamwork – as well as from collaboration and collaboration. When we play against others, however, and we are in competition with them – the very best of us may be more ‘me’ than team-oriented, at least for a short time. It can be difficult to change our behavior and it may take time for our new behaviors to take hold. We all know that competition breeds winners and losers, so the challenge is to identify when competition is important and how it can be employed to our advantage. Bazerman says, “To succeed in a team, we need not only to develop skills for cooperation, but also to recognize and accept the reality that it will never be ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ ” He goes on to write: “If you want to develop an ethically competitive edge and win on teams, you need to focus on how you can outperform your teammates, not on how you can beat them.” In the new science of teamwork and competition, Bazerman makes the essential point that competition is a great motivator to do your best work on behalf of your team. When we know that our best work is important to the success of our teams and we see that our success is linked to the success of our teammates, we will be willing to give more of ourselves in the process. As Bazerman explains: “Competition can actually sharpen individual performance when it is coupled with the need for collaboration, just as an engine revved to a higher gear burns more fuel than one idling in a traffic jam. In this way, the best teams are like a steamroller: They build momentum as they roll over opposition and are more capable of crushing resistance. ” The key is knowing when we need to work together with our teammates and when to pull ahead, whether in the office or the conference room or the sales pitch or on the athletic field. And we must keep in mind that it’s our performance, not our reputation that counts. “The key to building and sustaining the right mind-set is recognizing that every win is a team effort,” says Bazerman. “Only the best teams produce the highest-quality solutions. That’s why you need to focus not on winning at all costs, but on doing your best to win.” In summary: Competition is not an enemy; it’s a tool. Competitiveness can be employed to help us improve our performance and meet our objectives. The only difference between the best and the worst competitors is that the former know when to compete and when not to compete. When to work together and when not to work together is the key. When competition breeds winners and losers, the very best of us may be more “me” than team-oriented, at least for a short time. It can be difficult to change our behavior and it may take time for our new behaviors to take hold. We all know that competition breeds winners and losers, so the challenge is to identify when competition is important and how it can be employed to our advantage. Most of the people who read this blog are looking for simple answers to complex questions. The problem is the answers are hidden in the science of teams. But the answers aren’t complex at all, in fact they’re very simple: Get and keep the science right, and the practice will follow. The science will always inform the practice, and always will. If a practice doesn’t work, it won’t work. People don’t like hearing that, but it’s a fact. A “working” practice isn’t the same as a “working” team. When we don’t understand our performance gaps, when we don’t appreciate the complexity of the problem and don’t know how to build a plan, it’s easy to create strategies, systems, or solutions that are doomed from the start. The best and most successful people understand the science, they listen to people, and they build teams that thrive. We all can learn from these super achievers and apply the best principles to our own teams, and our own work. When we know what we’re doing and we have the right people working together to do the right things, we can be successful. A good place to start is by reading Bazerman’s book, The Power of Focus: How to Hit your Stride in an Age of Distraction. Good luck and happy reading! P.S. If you or your organization is ready to join us for a free, 90-minute overview of what the power of science can do for your team, reach out to us. We’d be delighted to host you and your colleagues for a breakfast meeting to share a science-based approach to improving performance in your teams and organization. This blog is designed to be a living document, so we welcome any feedback you may have. What we’re really interested in hearing are your experiences and questions – we want to share our discoveries and keep this topic alive. Thanks for visiting the Focal Point Blog. Like this: Post navigation Subscribe to The Focal Point Blog to Receive Posts by Email. Related Posts The Power of Focus: How to Hit your Stride in an Age of Distraction If you’re in sales, marketing or management and trying to grow your business, you’re no stranger to the challenges that new technologies, shifting consumer behavior and an increasingly competitive marketplace can pose for you and your team. The key to hitting your stride in this challenging environment is understanding the science behind focus, in both personal and organizational development. The Power of Focus is your playbook for mastering this science and optimizing your team’s performance.