Out of the Crisis.Org

[MattFMN]

Well, here I am again with another observation. And, again, I'm going to use for my example a Gordon Ramsey reality show. I apologize if these are getting tiresome, old, or if you feel I've used up the resource. But, instead of Kitchen Nightmares I'm going to urge you to take a look at Hell's Kitchen. This isn't really a single episode, but an entire season. So far, the best venue I've found for episode viewing has been www.hulu.com. I'm watching the current season, but have seen all the previous episodes.

The point of my post is this. In this show you can see quite clearly....well, after you think about it and it hits you (I admit, it did not hit me right away) the true effect of internal competition. Yes, there it is in plain sight the destructive nature of competition amongst co-workers. You cannot have "I" in team. Just doesn't happen and here's my visual proof.

Granted, this is a reality series. There is a gold ring to strive for, but for the purposes of entertainment (and when you start thinking about it...is it really that entertaining?) to quote "Highlander": There can be only one. One winner. You hear the contestants bring it up often, this is a competition. You can see them scheme, you can see them trying to play the game. What they are missing throughout this competition is when dinner service comes, it is ALL about the team. Serve those clients. Exceed the clients expectations.

As you will see, however, that is not what happens at all. Through the competition, everyone is too busy fending for themselves and all the talented people cannot finish a dinner service. What you see is down the road, as there are fewer and fewer people in the kitchen by means of eliminations, they have to work together or they would never finish a service. So then you have 4 people working together getting WAY more done then 8 competitors jockeying for Ramsey's affections.

I think, at this point, I can rest my case.
(Do not mistake this post as saying that competition in itself is counterproductive or a path to certain doom. I believe it is misplaced and miss-aimed competition as discussed above that is crippling.)

Thanks. Later, Matt.

_________________
Matt Fanslow
ASE CMAT/L1
Crag-Technologies, Inc
www.wavehook.com

[Louis Altazan]

Hi Matt,

Tom once reminded me that a brick can be used to build or to kill. Competition is much the same. I find competing with myself to improve my previous best, helpful. I also very much enjoy competing for market with other businesses. I feel this makes me far better than if I did not.

Artificial competition, created by management and among staff is devastating as well as uncalled for, in my opinion. There is no shortage of improvement needed. There's plenty enough to go around. Thanks Matt, another great post.

_________________
Louis Altazan
Owner/Manager AGCO Automotive Corporation
Baton Rouge, LA