Competition: Measuring Up

People exceptionally talented in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to in first place and revel in contests.

Clifton StrengthsFinder

People with high Competition innately notice others; they notice other’s performance and gauge themselves based on how they measure up. They work hard and derive great satisfaction from winning. A friend with Competition once game me this illustration. He said that when he goes to the gym, he never goes to a treadmill, elliptical, or another individual machine. Rather, he always tries to attend the same group classes each week. During the class, he can see where his pace matches, exceeds, or falls short of the other gym members. Over time, he can also see how is overall progress compares to the other attendees.

Sometimes, those with Competition can get a bad reputation for being just that-competitive. Especially in non-profit circles, where service is so central, competing can seem negative, and degrading to other people. When, in reality, the drive of people with Competition is becoming the best version of themselves. The other people involved in the equation are more like measuring sticks for the Competitor to gauge their own progress. Someone with mature Competition does not squash people in their efforts to win, but rather, sees and learns from those who are better than they are in an effort to grow.

3.9% of TeamMates mentors and 14.6% of TeamMates mentees have Competition in their top 5. To recognize the Competition in each other in your relationship, first recognize that Competition isn’t always about sports. Look at your mentee’s other strengths, along with their interests, values, and passion to find out what your mentee’s Competition is focused on. Maybe your mentee loves debates about topics, or races in math problems. Keep track of your progress over time to see how many wins and losses of Connect 4 you each have in one year. Attempt to track how many random acts of kindness you do in a month, and then next month, exceed that number. By incorporating a competitive spirit into your mentoring relationship, whether between each other or within yourselves, you will honor and grow the Competition in your mentee.

-Tess

(Image Credit: http://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ahead-of-competition-marketing-trends.jpg)

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