Habit # 1 -- Winning too much -- What does that mean?

Goldsmith discusses in his book how winning too much is really a symptom of being overly competitive. How can being overly competitive undermine our effectiveness as a leader?


Winning too much actually affects our behavior. It impacts our interactions with others, especially our employees.

Think about the last time you met someone who you would consider a "know it all". What was it that irritated you? Was it that they always "had the answer". Or they "had to have the last word". Or they "wouldn't concede" that maybe they didn't have all the information or wasn't "right" this time. This behavior is "about winning" at whatever cost to their relationships.

How does this type of behavior undermine our leadership effectiveness?

As a leader, our job is to help develop our employees. How well are we developing our employees if "we always have the answers" or "have to have the last word" or "won't listen to new ideas"? This kind of leader drives employees away and causes them to disengage. Can your business afford this?

So, what can we do? Recognize this trait within yourself and count to 10 before responding. Think before you speak. Instead of having the right answers all the time help your employees develop the problem solving skills to solve it on their own. Walk them through the thought-process for arriving at the right answer by asking a series of open-ended questions.

If you have to have the "last word" STOP! Ask yourself if it's really necessary. And only when it's ABSOLUTELY necessary give the last word.

What ideas do you have?

Feel free to post your own and join in the live discussion on Thursday, February 4th at the ILSBDC at Harper College location. See the information on the left hand column to register.

Until then -- Be the best you can be!