Competition or Compassion

Which of the two are more important to your success as a leader and organization: Competition or Compassion? 

On the one hand, without a strong desire to compete to be the best, results are often never what they ought to be or could be. This ultimately limits the impact the organization has in the marketplace and on the world.

On the other hand, without compassion, bridges can be burned and relationships damaged which can lead to regret and even a lack of long-term consistent performance.

Both competition and compassion seem important in business, but how do you choose between the two? 

What if you could choose both?  What if you could be both fiercely competitive and fiercely compassionate?  

The reality is you can!

Too often we limit ourselves believing we must choose between two opposites, but the truth is, we don’t have to. We can be both!

In the book, Built to Last by Jim Collins, this idea is referred to as “The Genius of the AND” or in other words, the ability to embrace different extremes at the same time.  Instead of choosing A or B, great companies and great leaders figure out a way to have both A and B.

So this week, focus on “the genius of the AND” and find ways to be both fiercely competitive and fiercely compassionate as both can serve you well.

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