In better economic times – although certainly aiming to provide the best products or services – one could still expect that just doing a decent job would secure a reasonable flow of business and set the base for a sustainable operation.  Today, you can’t rely on any such assumption.  Eventually, merely competing is not enough, winning is what matters.

Yes, let’s get the winning spirit back in our minds.  There are multiple reasons for this.

Business is tough these days, competition is fierce and there aren’t as many good prospects as there used to.  Still, in spite of receding markets, companies need to grow to develop the resources to invest and to provide opportunities for their employees.   This means more market share.  The organizations wanting to win rather than to compete, yet in a positive way, will take that market share away and be best positioned for when the economy rebounds.

Not to go into too simplistic sports analogies, fact is that the more motivated teams have the better chance of winning the championship.  These teams are not always the most skilled, but they are well prepared and they are certainly the most cohesive.  They work well together, they support each other, and they deliver more collectively than as individuals because they want to win.  I can’t think of a sports team ending up with a win if it did not want it more than the other team, if it just wanted to compete.

A cohesive team can do marvels.  Individuals can flourish in such teams even when tackling significant issues.  They can bring up problems sooner and clearer, and they can better find solutions.  They can see opportunities where others may see challenges.  They deliver faster, they go above and beyond.  It is the character of winning teams.

Keeping a team motivated and focused on the right priorities is today more than ever one of the greatest challenges for managers and leaders, but it doesn’t require much.  It requires vision and commitment, communication and consistency.  And it takes Heart. 

So, in these “uncertain times”, let’s be certain of this: Competing is not enough, Winning is what matters.  And although there isn’t any scientific proofing to it, it seems Winning can be contagious!

We’d love to discuss how Sodexo’s Motivation Solutions can help with your particular situation.