Working The Dream

Workplace Competition

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Eric Kelly

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Series Code: WTD

Program Code: WTD000010A


00:01 You know, when you're working the dream,
00:03 the struggle is also real.
00:07 You have to be determined.
00:09 You have to work hard.
00:13 You need to be compassionate.
00:15 Set goals and be timely.
00:19 Stay focused. And reach high.
00:22 You need all this,
00:23 and the lord to come together to make you a better person
00:27 while you are working the dream.
00:31 Hello, and welcome to "Working the dream."
00:34 I'm your host, Eric Kelly.
00:35 And today, we're going to share tips on an issue
00:38 that all of us sooner or later must deal with,
00:42 and that is workplace competition.
00:45 Now sometimes,
00:46 workplace competition is beneficial
00:49 because it can spur a commitment
00:51 to self-improvement.
00:53 Now it goes with that saying
00:55 that financial incentives and bonuses
00:58 will always get the competition going.
01:00 However, those who see the bigger picture
01:03 may take the competition as an opportunity
01:06 to better themselves
01:07 and the process of winning the competition.
01:10 Self improvements may include actions
01:12 like changing work habits, to be more organized,
01:15 to be more creative, and thorough,
01:18 however, always aiming to achieve the goals
01:21 and perform a higher quality of work.
01:25 Now companies love competition and here's why?
01:29 Your company whether it is privately held
01:31 or publicly traded
01:33 is always, and I do mean always,
01:37 looking for a way to make itself more profitable.
01:40 There are only two ways to do this.
01:42 Upgrade the quality of company processes,
01:45 and or upgrade the quality of the employee workforce.
01:49 Now if I had a dime
01:51 for all of the times I've been in meetings,
01:52 and heard senior executives cast doubt
01:55 that they had the right people in the right places
01:57 to become more efficient, to become more profitable,
02:00 I would have a considerable amount of cash.
02:03 I can recall in more than a few instances,
02:05 the senior team gave the command.
02:08 It's time to "upgrade the herd."
02:11 Now while that may not sound good to those of us
02:14 that are the herd,
02:16 working out harder to contribute
02:18 to our respective organizations,
02:20 it does give you insight
02:21 into just how competitive the workplace is.
02:25 So whether you are attempting to get a promotion
02:27 or just trying to hold on to the job that you have,
02:31 it's in your best interest
02:33 to foster good healthy competition.
02:37 Now the executive belief is cream rises to the top.
02:43 So let's break this down as to how the company benefits
02:46 when workers are competitive.
02:49 First of all, there's a higher level of productivity.
02:53 Tough competition among employees
02:55 breeds productivity in the workplace.
02:58 The presence of competitors
03:00 aiming for similar goals like promotions or salary increases,
03:05 it naturally pushes people to be work oriented,
03:07 to be more diligent and focused
03:09 in achieving those goals that are in front of them.
03:12 In fact, they're going to function
03:14 and in most excellent manner
03:15 because they want to impress the boss.
03:17 And they really want to finish on top of everyone else.
03:20 Now this kind of healthy competition
03:22 helps ease management's concerns
03:24 over wasted resources or idle workers.
03:28 Competition also increases
03:30 the level of organizational efficiency.
03:33 Competition pushes employees to meet deadlines
03:36 and adhere to management standards.
03:38 And they avoid
03:40 creating a poor impression with the bosses.
03:42 And really everybody wants to gain the trust
03:45 and confidence of upper management.
03:48 Competition helps boost companies to higher profits.
03:52 So naturally, higher productivity
03:54 and efficiency
03:55 will help increase the company's net income.
03:59 Competition drives cooperative teamwork.
04:02 If the competition is structured
04:03 so that the team wins rather than just an individual,
04:06 the chances of success of the project
04:08 are very, very high.
04:10 Working in teams will always be a good strategy
04:13 to get things done
04:14 because instead of having only a single person win,
04:17 there's a group of people working together
04:19 to achieve a common goal.
04:21 A team with good dynamics pushes each member
04:24 to continuously improve
04:26 and contribute something to the team.
04:30 We can learn from competitors.
04:32 In any company,
04:33 the work place will always be filled
04:35 with talented individuals
04:37 with different areas of expertise
04:38 and specialization.
04:40 Friendly competition among employees
04:42 will promoting atmosphere that is conducive for learning
04:45 that's because of each other's strengths,
04:47 and also from the failures, we can learn from those,
04:50 each in the best interest of the company.
04:54 So let's take a look
04:55 at how a competitive situation might start.
05:11 Good morning. Good morning.
05:14 So I guess you two heard
05:16 that we parted ways with, Mr. Chaikin.
05:18 That's the best news we've heard all day.
05:20 Well, I think it is King Mufasa master efficiency thing
05:24 just wore people out.
05:26 So he's gone.
05:28 But on the flip side, I have good news.
05:30 I am the new director of Analytics.
05:34 So I'll be your manager again.
05:36 And I'm really happy to do that.
05:39 Shayla, I know that I was kind of hard on you.
05:42 I'm really sorry.
05:43 I just really wanted to push you to greatness.
05:47 It's all in the past, Ms. Greene.
05:49 Call me Cynthia.
05:51 I took a management training class
05:52 in creating a healthy work environment.
05:55 And, Ron, I am really glad to work with you again.
05:57 Same here.
05:59 So, it's great.
06:01 So are we getting a new manager under you to manage us?
06:05 Yeah, actually we're considering all the options.
06:09 We may hire from within, we might promote from within
06:13 or we might hire somebody from the outside.
06:15 We're going to wait and see how that works out.
06:18 Well, I have to take a call.
06:19 But I just wanted to make sure that I gave you guys the news.
06:24 Thanks. Good to see you.
06:25 Good to see you. Have a good day.
06:26 You too. Thanks.
06:33 So did you hear what I heard? Yeah.
06:35 They might be promoting a senior.
06:38 I don't know, why you got that look on your face,
06:40 you know it's going to be me.
06:42 I have been Ms. Greene's favorite forever.
06:44 And I've been here long.
06:45 What does that have to do with anything?
06:47 After you left, all your work got piled on my desk,
06:50 and I handled it.
06:52 She knows I'm more than capable.
07:16 Now what you just saw happens often in the real world.
07:21 The workplace is so incredibly dynamic
07:24 that positions are opening up
07:25 and closing down all of the time.
07:27 In fact, it is very likely
07:29 that based on some issue of turnover in your company,
07:32 a position above your salary grade
07:34 will open up.
07:35 Now when that happens,
07:37 you and your peers
07:38 will want to move up in the organization
07:40 into that open position.
07:42 The recognition feels great
07:44 and the corresponding increase in salary
07:46 is usually pretty good too.
07:49 Yet workplace competition is not always positive.
07:53 It can create unhealthy rivalries
07:56 that result in workers resenting one another.
07:59 It can create a gap between the haves and the have not's.
08:03 And that can prove to be very unhealthy
08:05 in internal work relations.
08:07 Here are some challenges
08:09 that can create a negative workplace
08:10 when there is competition.
08:12 First of all, stress.
08:14 Unhealthy competition increases the level of stress
08:17 with employees.
08:18 This will eventually have negative effects
08:20 for the company
08:22 as stress negatively impacts the concentration of employees
08:26 which leads to increased levels of un-productivity
08:29 and inefficiencies.
08:31 Good employees may leave.
08:35 Some employees, who are not mentally and emotionally tough,
08:38 might succumb to the intense pressure
08:40 brought on by competition,
08:42 and eventually leave the company
08:43 in search of a better workplace environment.
08:47 Often employees might work to bring each other down.
08:50 Competition can bring out the selfish side of everyone
08:53 and this can lead to some pretty ugly consequences.
08:56 Some employees may be too focused
08:58 on achieving company goals
09:00 to the point that they're willing
09:01 to bring each other down just to get ahead.
09:04 And with all of this, team spirit can suffer.
09:08 In the face of competition,
09:11 self always emerges as the central character
09:15 unless of course we're being guided by the Holy Spirit.
09:19 Notions of teams or group, we disregard those,
09:23 because we have to win.
09:26 This also breeds a lack of trust,
09:28 because in an environment
09:29 that fosters unhealthy competition,
09:32 trust is always an issue.
09:34 I mean, the lack of trust in the workplace
09:35 undermines communication among the employees
09:38 and usually destroys work relationships.
09:42 So let's look at how some of this might play out
09:46 with Ron and Shayla.
10:41 Oh, no need to sit.
10:42 I just have some quick news for you.
10:44 We promoted Cassie
10:46 to the position of manager of analytics
10:48 effective next week.
10:49 So you'll be reporting to her.
10:51 Cassie? Are you serious?
10:53 Yes, and I expect you to work with her
10:55 like you worked with me.
11:00 Cassie.
11:07 These two again.
11:08 Are you leaving?
11:11 Yes, I told you, I don't live here.
11:14 Really, I thought you had some secret door
11:16 that led you to some underground Bachelor Pad
11:18 or something.
11:20 Bachelor Pad?
11:21 I am married with seven children.
11:24 I got to get out of here. Look, I've got a minute.
11:27 What's going on?
11:29 Well, sir... I first...
11:31 Figured out.
11:33 The mean manager got fired.
11:36 There is now position open.
11:39 You two both decided
11:42 that you are the best for that position.
11:46 Not thinking of anybody else on the planet that can do that.
11:50 You are a bit egotistical, aren't you?
11:52 But wait we... Yeah, alright let me finish.
11:56 Now because of that
11:57 you started on some silly competitive journey.
12:01 So now you're doing things, playing up to Ms Greene,
12:04 doing things that have absolutely
12:06 nothing to do with work.
12:08 Am I wrong?
12:10 Yeah, that sums it up.
12:12 Okay. Well, have fun, guys.
12:14 But where are you going? We came for your help.
12:16 Where are you going?
12:18 If you really wanted help,
12:19 you wouldn't have started this silly competition
12:21 in the first place.
12:24 Competition has no place in the workplace.
12:29 First of all, it takes you away from the goal of the workplace
12:33 which is to accomplish
12:35 whatever it is your team or company
12:36 wants you to accomplish
12:37 and it takes all that energy
12:39 and focuses it on self interests.
12:43 It's a bit selfish, don't you think?
12:46 Well, it didn't seem like it at the time.
12:49 I mean, how did you get
12:51 to where you were going in the first place?
12:53 How did you get here?
12:54 Was it your education? Your family background?
12:57 Was it luck?
12:59 No.
13:01 The person that put you where you are was God,
13:04 and He put you there for special reason
13:06 to do these things that you can do.
13:08 And that's where you should have gone
13:10 looking for answers when the position came open.
13:14 I got to go.
13:16 Wait, we came to you for help.
13:18 If you had wanted help,
13:20 you wouldn't have started this silly competition
13:23 in the first place.
13:25 I've got a date with my wife, so I'm getting out of here.
13:29 Wait, one more question.
13:31 Okay.
13:33 Are you real or are we tripping?
13:38 What do you think?
13:43 I'm real, I was just messing with him.
13:49 Okay,
13:51 Ron and Shayla are feeling a bit ashamed
13:53 of their antics with Ms. Greene.
13:55 Ms. Greene will probably pick the ones
13:57 she feels is the most qualified.
14:00 And the most likely to give her
14:02 the skills and behaviors that she needs.
14:04 She's not buying all this buttering up stuff
14:07 and this fake adoration
14:09 which for the record, will not work
14:11 because she's an experienced manager
14:13 and she can smell fake from a mile away.
14:16 So it's not really going to be affected.
14:18 The only thing it's going to do
14:19 is increase the silliness of the competition
14:22 to preschool levels
14:23 where maybe they'll be buying her lunch
14:25 or bring her cupcakes from home every day.
14:28 Now I would like to share a concept
14:30 that is going to be counterintuitive
14:32 to everything that we've ever been taught
14:34 since grade school.
14:36 But here it goes.
14:37 Be the absolute best at what you do
14:41 then let God take care of the politics.
14:43 First of all,
14:44 there are three areas that are being considered
14:47 when our performance is evaluated by our bosses.
14:51 Now you must be at the top of your game
14:53 in these areas
14:55 to even be thought about as valuable to the team.
14:59 First, there's attendance.
15:02 Now some of you might laugh,
15:03 but this area is the number one disciplinary challenge
15:07 for all companies, in all industries.
15:11 Just trying to get people
15:12 to show up for their work schedule
15:14 on their work day they're supposed to be there,
15:17 be punctual when they do it.
15:19 Simply put, if you want to be viewed as an asset
15:21 to your company
15:22 please, be at work
15:24 when you're supposed to be there.
15:26 And by all means, be on time.
15:28 If you are not already doing this
15:30 rest assured,
15:32 you are probably not being viewed
15:33 as a long-term keeper.
15:35 In fact, your job is as secure as a man skating on thin ice,
15:40 holding a heat lamp at high noon.
15:44 Your personal behavior is also very important.
15:47 No matter how smart and capable you are,
15:50 if you've got some flaws in your behavior
15:52 then your chances of being viewed
15:54 as competitive for a position
15:56 or a raise or surviving a downsizing event,
16:00 they're slim.
16:01 If you have an argumentative reputation with your superiors
16:04 even though you were trying to help,
16:06 they may see that behavior as aggressive
16:08 or even insubordinate.
16:11 If you are doing things that are unethical, unsafe,
16:15 or possibly detrimental in any way to the company,
16:18 they will score your conduct as a less than acceptable.
16:22 Not a good place to be
16:24 if you plan on getting any type of positive reward
16:27 from your place of employment.
16:29 The last area that we're going to talk about
16:31 is actual job performance.
16:34 Now let me ask you a few questions.
16:36 And if you can answer, "Yes" to all of them,
16:38 you might be on the path
16:40 to building a pretty decent job reputation.
16:43 So let's look at clerical duties of paperwork.
16:47 Do you have any clerical
16:49 or administrative paperwork duties?
16:51 And if you do, are they always accurate?
16:55 Are they always on time? Are they clear?
16:58 You know, "The dog ate my homework.
17:00 It wasn't effective in school."
17:01 They will even be less effective at your job.
17:04 What about your job knowledge?
17:06 Do you have superior knowledge
17:08 in the area that you're supposed to be working in?
17:11 Now I'm not saying that you need to do a project
17:14 with a know-it-all attitude,
17:16 I'm saying, if we go do our research,
17:18 are you right when you express how something should be done.
17:22 I mean, can we do our research
17:23 and come back with the same information
17:25 that you already know?
17:27 Working safely is important.
17:30 Whether you work inside or outside,
17:32 do you always work safe?
17:35 Your employer loses money paying workman's compensation
17:39 when an employee is injured on the job.
17:42 If you are observed breaking any of the safety rules,
17:45 your stock, it goes down.
17:48 Are you a team player?
17:50 In an era of extraordinary selfishness
17:53 where the accepted mantra is
17:55 me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me first,
17:58 it is refreshing to find someone
17:59 who's a team player.
18:01 Team players help their teammates
18:03 and put their teams before selfish ambition.
18:07 Do you follow company rules?
18:10 Now most company rules and procedures
18:13 were written for a reason.
18:14 Sometimes, we might not agree with them.
18:17 And hopefully, you can plead your case to someone
18:19 that might be able to modify them.
18:21 However, they are called rules for a reason.
18:24 Please, do not disregard them.
18:27 When someone does ignore them,
18:29 it's usually the beginning of the end for that person.
18:32 Someone that consistently decides to make their own path
18:35 away from company guidelines
18:37 is usually considered dangerous.
18:40 Now the ultimate number one reason,
18:44 you needn't concern yourself with competition is that
18:47 you have a God.
18:48 And you have a God that will give you
18:50 what you pray for,
18:52 provided that he deems it good for you.
18:55 For example, a friend of mine one day,
18:58 she asked me to pray for her
18:59 because she was going to apply for a job
19:02 in a specific company.
19:03 And of course, she knew it was God's will
19:05 because the pay was outstanding.
19:07 And the field was one
19:09 in which my friend was extremely knowledgeable.
19:12 So we did, we prayed together about it.
19:14 Now, let me describe her.
19:15 Smart, articulate, well-mannered, well-dressed,
19:20 well-spoken, you get my drift?
19:22 She was qualified
19:24 maybe even too much so for the position.
19:27 So we felt like God can answer this one.
19:28 So we prayed. Time moved on.
19:31 Here's what happened.
19:33 Later on, she relayed to me that she didn't get the job.
19:36 And I was a little stunned also.
19:38 She might have even believed
19:40 that she was beat out by a competing prospect
19:43 who presented better.
19:46 Well, I don't see how that could have been possible.
19:50 Now here's the moral of the story.
19:52 Eventually, she landed a much better job
19:56 than the one she had applied for.
19:58 See, God was in the whole thing from the beginning.
20:01 God wants you to prosper and be successful.
20:05 The issue is we cannot see what he sees.
20:08 So we must trust that He knows the end from the beginning.
20:12 There's a Bible story that I love
20:14 that encourages me when I need to be reminded
20:17 of how God works.
20:18 Okay, once there was this king of Syria,
20:21 and he was at war with Israel.
20:23 So he told his crew, all his generals,
20:25 his mighty fighting men his plans.
20:27 He said, "Here's what we're going to do.
20:29 We're going to camp out over here
20:31 at this little location,
20:32 we just going to lie and wait here.
20:34 And when the children of Israel come by,
20:37 we're going to ambush them, mash them up."
20:40 I mean, it sounded like a workable plan.
20:43 So they all went out to the spot
20:45 and they laid and wait.
20:47 But the Israelites never showed up.
20:50 So they did it again.
20:52 And again, this happened time and time again.
20:55 So the king gets really angry.
20:57 And he's starting to be suspicious.
20:59 So he ask his folks, he said,
21:00 "Now who is the spy that keeps going over to Israel
21:05 and telling them our plans?
21:07 I want to know who's betraying us."
21:09 It's not going to go well for that person.
21:12 Then one of his servers lets the cat out of the bag,
21:16 he said, "Oh, great king,
21:19 there are no traders here, boss.
21:21 But Elijah, the Prophet who is in Israel,
21:24 he tells the king of Israel
21:26 the words you speak in your bedroom."
21:30 Love that story.
21:32 Now if God can communicate to his person,
21:37 what is said in the bedroom of a mighty king,
21:41 do you think He has the ability to communicate to you
21:44 what happens in meetings and boardrooms
21:46 that you're not in.
21:48 Whoever is competing against you
21:50 is so much less powerful
21:52 than the God you're depending on
21:54 for your success.
21:56 Do you believe He is capable
21:58 of impressing upon your heart
22:00 that your next career move should be here or there?
22:04 Now if you said, yes,
22:05 you already know the secret
22:07 that your success is not based on you
22:09 competitively fighting
22:11 and clawing your way up the corporate ladder.
22:14 I can tell you, if you're connected to God
22:16 and you can hear His voice,
22:19 He will guide you to where you need to be
22:21 so that His blessings can flow through to you.
22:25 If you develop an everyday spiritual connecting routine,
22:31 I absolutely guarantee
22:33 that you'll begin to see some positive changes
22:35 in your work and in your life.
22:38 Okay, point number one.
22:41 Read God's Word.
22:43 Wake up daily and spend time reading God's Word.
22:47 Now not reading it through
22:50 trying to get points on your report card,
22:53 but actually read in areas of promise.
22:56 Read in areas that will give you peace.
22:58 And kind of give you an edge at work.
23:01 Do it first thing in the morning.
23:02 I love doing in the morning. It gets the mind right.
23:05 Do it in lunch.
23:06 Let's say, you're having afternoon meeting,
23:08 grab your promised book or the Bible
23:10 and read some verses to shore up your spirit
23:12 before you go to that meeting.
23:13 I woke up a few days ago.
23:15 I had an incredible business challenge.
23:17 And I had to make a decision with some clients.
23:21 And I was facing some potential competition
23:24 in this business situation.
23:26 It could have affected our revenue position
23:28 for the upcoming year.
23:31 I was going to have to deal with the challenge
23:34 with several clients
23:35 based on whatever decision I made.
23:38 So I remembered facing the worry
23:41 and fear of making a wrong decision.
23:43 And I pulled out my trusty old promise book,
23:46 Isaiah 26: 3 and 4, popped up, it says,
23:49 "You will keep him in perfect peace
23:52 whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
23:56 "Trust in the Lord forever,
23:58 for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."
24:01 I felt a little better
24:02 and then I read Proverbs 28:5, it said,
24:04 "Those who trust in the Lord will prosper,"
24:07 I kept reading in my promise book
24:10 and I found Christ in Matthew 6,
24:11 telling the people,
24:13 "Seek first his kingdom and righteousness,
24:16 and all these things will be added to you as well."
24:20 I had a couple of prayer warriors
24:22 praying also.
24:23 And God showed His hand in that situation.
24:25 Praise Him.
24:28 Pray and listen.
24:31 Pray real prayers. Tell him when you're scared.
24:36 I know many times in church,
24:37 we've heard the Elizabeth in English,
24:40 "Oh, thou who sits high and looks low."
24:43 But God doesn't mind
24:44 if you pray to Him in your natural voice
24:47 and the natural way that you talk.
24:49 It's okay to say, "God, I'm scared."
24:52 It's okay to say, "Oh, man, I'm messed up."
24:56 It's okay, say it to God.
24:58 Because the cute prayers,
25:00 you can leave that for somebody else.
25:02 God already knows everything.
25:04 So let Him hear your petition.
25:06 And then stay long enough to hear his voice
25:09 in your spirit.
25:11 This really, really works.
25:13 In the New Living Translation version of Psalms, 37:3,
25:19 I like to read this, it encourages me.
25:21 And this really is something I want to wake up with
25:24 every day.
25:26 It simply says, "Trust in the Lord, do good.
25:29 And then you will live safely in the land and prosper."
25:35 Let me tell you how
25:36 these beliefs have affected my life several times.
25:40 I'll share one instance.
25:41 Some years ago,
25:43 I was the director of a training department
25:46 in a major Fortune 500 company.
25:50 And mergers were going on,
25:52 and I don't know
25:53 if you really have been caught up in a merger,
25:55 but we merged with another company.
25:58 And the interesting thing is
25:59 when you merge with another company,
26:01 people lose jobs.
26:02 Because you don't need the same amount of people
26:04 that were there to be in the new company.
26:07 So one group of people was let go
26:10 and I was in that lucky group.
26:13 I wasn't worried.
26:14 God had blessed me before
26:15 and He's taking care of me in my entire life.
26:17 So I said, "In a few months,
26:19 I'll be working in somewhere else."
26:21 So a few more months go by
26:23 and I'm not terribly worried,
26:26 but I'm looking for things,
26:29 and I'm believing God's going to take care of me.
26:33 Well, a few more months went by.
26:35 And by now,
26:37 God and I are having some real heart to heart talks.
26:42 In fact, I even tried it out my resume to God.
26:44 I said, "God, when I was in the other company,
26:46 I was having prayers in my office,
26:48 and vice presidents,
26:49 and the higher-ups were coming in,
26:51 and we were sharing Bible scripture."
26:54 Reading your resume to God, yeah.
26:56 And as time went on,
26:57 I really got to the point where I was very, very worried.
27:02 Now here's the interesting thing.
27:04 God had something better for me.
27:07 But I was totally unaware of that.
27:09 Because if the worry set in,
27:11 I wanted to fix things.
27:13 Now here's the thing.
27:15 As I fast forward, a few years later,
27:17 God set it up perfectly
27:19 because what happened was exactly what needed to happen,
27:22 so that it be here right now.
27:25 So, my friends, why spend irredeemable energy
27:29 and vital life force
27:30 trying to climb the company ladder
27:33 when God is showing you that he controls the elevator.
27:36 Remember you may be powerless over what they can do to you
27:40 but they are powerless over what God will do for you.
27:44 Until next time, keep "Working the Dream."


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Revised 2017-08-20