Competition is something I know a lot about from personal experience and study. For 11 years I was VP of business development at a good-sized company. My profession was to lead teams that competed for large contracts - hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs. All over the country were teams of the very best directly competing for the same contracts. Every day, all we thought about was beating each other out. Working on my Ph.D., I did extensive research on how executive teams make decisions in high-stress situations.
I said all that to say this: I believe deeply in competition with honor. It is not just a sentiment, it is a sound business (and sports) strategy. Compete fiercely but always remember the big picture. Respect the rules, respect your competition, respect yourself. Those who fall prey to short-term rewards pay the price later. Over the long haul, your reputation and your conscience are your best assets. And you will consistently win.
I love Tony V. and have enjoyed the last few years. This season ain’t over yet. But I’m concerned about the reputation they are building. Maybe, hopefully, what I’m seeing is not right. But the people who run the game always have a way to take you down a notch if they want to.
I said all that to say this: I believe deeply in competition with honor. It is not just a sentiment, it is a sound business (and sports) strategy. Compete fiercely but always remember the big picture. Respect the rules, respect your competition, respect yourself. Those who fall prey to short-term rewards pay the price later. Over the long haul, your reputation and your conscience are your best assets. And you will consistently win.
I love Tony V. and have enjoyed the last few years. This season ain’t over yet. But I’m concerned about the reputation they are building. Maybe, hopefully, what I’m seeing is not right. But the people who run the game always have a way to take you down a notch if they want to.
