On my first job 20 years ago, my mentor, a successful executive, was concerned of my naivety. Trying to protect me from workplace politics, he suggested that I study Machiavelli’s book – The Prince – a framework on gaining competitive advantage through manipulative control. It didn’t resonate with me.
Years later in business school, we were encouraged to make positive impact in the world. But what we learned was the art and science of maximizing profit. Get rich first, and then distribute the wealth. We studied strategies and tools to create demand for new products; to increase sales; to motivate employees; and to control scarce resources. Competitive advantage is in one’s ability to outperform others.
There is a big distinction between manipulative control and outperforming others. One is making competitors fall; the other is winning by running faster. The latter is human progress, however both result in winners and losers. The desire to win and the challenge to always win by competence makes controlling others inevitable.
As in bull-fighting ring, the competitive business world is hostile. How to be a winner without compromising one’s values? For years, I struggled to be myself and to be the best at the same time, until I discovered coaching and spirituality. I learned for the first time, there is an infinitely better way of existence. Being myself IS being the best.
Each human being is born with UNIQUE purpose, strengths, values, challenges and interests, which is the essence of who we are. All we need is to discover what it is and express it by what we do. Then we have gained one-of-its-kind advantage without competition. Sounds simple? Yes but not easy. However, it is worth every minute of our life and every ounce of our energy to pursue it.
