When it comes to competition, most entrepreneurs think first of business competition: the rivalry between companies that offer the same products or services or have the same target audience. But what if you shifted your attention to developing your team members and encouraging them to compete with each other instead of focusing on businesses outside of your organization?
According to Vantage Circle, healthy competition in the workplace can genuinely motivate employees to reach their goals through natural competition. Everyone is given an equal opportunity to win, and everyone celebrates each other’s successes in a healthy, competitive work environment.
As the oldest of four siblings, Micah McQueen is no stranger to competition. In fact, healthy sibling-type rivalry is what he uses to motivate and encourage his teams at Priority Roofing. “We (Micah and his brothers) competed in everything,” he shares with a laugh. “Whether it was playing basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, volleyball, board games, you name it. We competed, wanting to beat each other, but we still loved to see each other’s successes,” McQueen emphasizes. “My brothers and I learned so much about playing sports. But at the end of the day, our competitions helped teach us many important life skills from competition.”
As Vice President of Priority Roofing, McQueen is always looking for new and fun ways to build comradery mixed with a little bit of healthy competition.
“All of our general managers are very confident and competitive people by nature, so they pay attention to the number of sales-reps at each branch. I hear from the smaller branches all the time saying that they want to be the next big branch.”
McQueen shares that Priority Roofing does not have any organized competitions between branches or among managers. Although, they did start an end-of-the-year newsletter in which employees can see listed the highest-ranking sales-reps within our company.
“This gives our branches a way to see what sales-reps are achieving in different cities. It’s one thing that we’re doing to motivate and reach everyone across branches,” he says. “I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on it.” It is somewhat different within office branches. There monthly competitions are held where team members win prizes or trips based on their sales.
“We’re trying to foster a competitive environment, but in a healthy way. When somebody else wins, it’s not a dog-eat-dog thing; it’s not a negative attitude thing. It’s a culture where we really cheer on the winner, and then the next month everybody tries hard again. I think that this type of competition is a big part of the success we’ve achieved to date,” McQueen continues. To achieve business success, your team members must be willing to work hard, but still have fun along the way.
When asked what advice he has for other business leaders looking to outperform their competitors, he says it starts with making no excuses for yourself, or for your failures. “When you start with this as your bottom line, you are pushed to always find a solution. There are so many times in life when it seems like there is a mountain in front of you that is too big to go around. But there is always an answer. When you start with the ‘there-is-an-answer’ mentality it brings success because you have the determination to find a way.”
McQueen also says it’s important to take personal responsibility for both the good and the bad. “When there is success, give praise, and when there is failure, take responsibility.” He reminds us that responsibility is more than just words – it’s actions, thoughts, figuring out solutions, and collaborating with others.
Whether you compete with other businesses, or encourage healthy competition among team members the most important competition in business and life is actually with yourself.
Competing with yourself, especially as a business owner, sets a good example for what your team members should strive to achieve. You will never beat your future self, as by definition that version of you enters the competition with more experience. However, you can strive to accomplish what your ‘ideal self’ can achieve.
“To be a champion, compete;
to be a great champion, compete with the best;
but to be the greatest champion, compete with yourself.” – Matshona Dhliwayo.
If you would like to learn more about Micah McQueen’s leadership and Priority Roofing, be sure to visit their website and see how they can serve you in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Tyler, Fort Worth, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, California, Denver, and beyond.
