I’m a competitive person .  I can’t help it.  I’ve been this way as long as I can remember.  I get angry when I lose, even at something I’ve never done before and have no logical reason to think I should win. 

It doesn’t seem that weird during my soccer games (recreational, coed, over 30 years old, mind you). But even in yoga, in my mind I’m competing against others in the class:

Are they more flexible? 

Did I hold the pose longer?

I don’t just put a puzzle together; I defeat the puzzle.  A little ridiculous, I know.  Fortunately, I’ve improved my coping skills so I’m a better loser than I used to be. But even if I have a smile pasted on my face, I guarantee in my head I’m trying to figure out why I lost and what I can do next time to prevent it. 

Why am I so competitive?  I don’t really know.  I guess I could blame my dad, but really what it comes down to is winning is fun, whether it’s sports or work.  Achieving a goal is winning . It just feels good. 

An article by Jack and Suzy Welch in Newsweek discussed four ways to implement more winning in your workplace.  And who couldn’t use more of that?

1. Make sure as a leader you let your best people know how they’re doing and how they’re appreciated. 
2. Have a clear game plan and implement it.  Help your team know exactly what they’re working toward, why and how. 
3. Be honest.  Be clear.  Reward candor.  This builds trust, which makes a team stronger. 
4. Celebrate.  Even if it’s a small celebration, but make sure your team knows how good it feels to win.  Winning feels good, so they want more. 

I may have learned to tone down my competitiveness in some circles as I’ve gotten older, but that winning mentality can be a critical edge in the workplace.

Now if I can just beat Jay at badminton; he’s really good.