GLADIATORS IN THE WORKPLACE

If you have seen the movie, Gladiators, you will notice that every time Maximus stepped into the arena, it was another defining moment of his life. It wasn't exactly about the feat of retaining his title as the reigning champion as much as it was about surviving for yet another fight.

It is saddening that the equivalent holds true in most workplace today. It is not uncommon to find workers in an establishment engaged in stiff competition marked by rivalry and hatred for one another. This is the underlying mindset behind Office Politicking.

I found it necessary to address this menace today while I was reading Life@Work by John C. Maxwell, Thomas Addington and Stephen Graves.

The most subtle danger posed to workplace effectiveness is a negative mindset of the essence of being skilful. For the most part, many perceive skill as a weapon of destruction and dominance. It is employed to outsmart others and maintain the lead in the race for the title of "King of the Hill".

Let me say here: Work is not a competition! It is not a struggle for dominance. It is not a contest for survival and supremacy. It is not a tool for breasting the tape in the race up the corporate ladder. As long as it is viewed in that light, you will waste your energies doing the wrong thing; that way you can never be effective. Work is not a competition in search of the winner. It is not supposed to be a lack of competition because the competition should be against your previous best.

David Sarnoff quipped, "Competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people." And it is very true; especially when the competition is directed outward to others.



If you have listened to my audio training program on Exceptional Effectiveness, you will clearly understand this in the part where I addressed the Motive parameter under our Effectiveness Model.

You need to make a shift!

GLADIATOR        ----------------------->>>>>>>               BENEFACTOR

"Talent for talent's sake is a bauble and a show. Talent working with joy in the cause of universal  truth lifts the possessor to new power as a benefactor." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your goal in the workplace among other critically important ones is to:

1. Excel not surpass
2. Perform not win
3. Be a marvel not a threat
4. Be a genius not a rival
5. Be a benefactor not an oppressor

I have said over the years that you should strive to be your best not the best. And I have not changed my mind about that. You ought to become the genius who with a minimum of technical equipment and a maximum of craftsmanship can make something of wonder out of very little. This is just a perfect way of rewriting my definition of Effectiveness: Ability to achieve more significant results win a shorter time