Competition 'can be a good thing'

Date: 10/11/2009

Competition is something which is regularly shied away from by a number of organisations.

Yet David Lee, the writer of the Mindful Manager column with MaineBusiness, explained that sometimes, internal competition can be a good thing and not as toxic as people think, so long as they keep to the right guidelines.

He cited the work of Leigh Buchanan, who provides "excellent guidelines" for those hoping to instil a little bit of friendly rivalry in the workplace during an incentives and recognition programme.

The expert argued that businesses need to ensure they structure their scheme so it does not reward cheating or the sabotaging of rivals, citing the "great example" of this problem when competing for a safety record yet not reporting any accidents or injuries.

Furthermore, businesses should have incentives and recognition for both results and effort as the latter can be especially important for new employees and steady workers who are unlikely to win outcome contests.

Earlier this month, Bryan Burns of Corporate Play People told the Canadian Press that getting the most out of a team building conference or activity must allow people to laugh and have fun.

Posted by David Farrior

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