Your Competition Talent: Driven to Win

Nov 4

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." - Vince Lombardi

Despite my extensive athletic background, “Competition” is one of my lesser talents. It only shows up in very specific situations. Many people in my life were surprised to learn this about me, but I think my lack of “Competition” better highlights what this talent is and is not.

I’m motivated by getting better, not winning. I am more excited by a PR than a win. A win that didn’t involve some kind of improvement isn’t a win in my opinion. That’s my high “Developer” talent at play. Both my husband and my daughter have “Competition” in their top 5, and winning is a significant motivator for them. They are not just interested in participating or growing for the sake of it; they are intent on being the best and coming out on top.

Bucketed into the CliftonStrengths influencing domain, the “Competition” talent describes people who are naturally drawn to challenges and competition, whether in sports, business, or personal goals. They enjoy testing their skills against others and measuring their progress through comparison. For this reason, they are at their best when they are up against others, pushing themselves to outperform and excel. It doesn’t mean they are afraid of losing, but they only see purpose in the loss if it leads to the eventual win.

If “Competition” is one of your top talents, you’re intense, driven, impish, and highly attuned to high performance. You set very high standards for yourself and others, and you find satisfaction in winning and achieving at the highest level. When you look at a team, you focus on results rather than potential. You can spot the top performers right away and naturally strive to surpass them. You view the best as the benchmark and aim to exceed it. For you, this is fun and engaging, like a friendly challenge with a worthy competitor, rather than a mean-spirited endeavor.

Similarities and Differences With Other Talents

Understanding the “Competition” talent means recognizing how it stands apart from and aligns with other talents:

“Competition” and “Developer”: Both share a drive for improvement. For “Competition”, this drive is about self-improvement until they can surpass others, while for “Developer”—from the Relationship Building domain—it’s about helping others improve to reach their best.
“Competition” and "WOO": Share an ‘others’ focus. For "Competition," it's about outperforming others; for "WOO," which is also in the influencing domain, it's about captivating others.

Leverage The “Competition” Talent

Lead with “Competition”: Direct your competitive drive toward other leaders and great teams instead of your own team members. Look for role models who are slightly more advanced or further along than you and who can challenge you to grow. By comparing yourself this way, you can identify areas for improvement and strive for outstanding performance.
Work with “Competition”: Determine key performance indicators that show your daily progress and define what a “win” looks like for each. When you succeed, take time to analyze why. Be a supportive cheerleader for others. Even if you’re not driven to help them win, celebrate their achievements with them.
Live with “Competition”: Make it clear that being competitive doesn’t mean putting others down. Explain that you find fulfillment in challenging strong competitors and succeeding. Celebrate your victories and help others celebrate theirs.
Coach Someone with “Competition”: Realize that they don't want to play nice in the sandbox just because it's the nice thing to do. Connect teamwork to a win. Help them identify their most important goals and what can be measured, compared, and achieved and then help them identify the key relationships who can help get them there. Recognize that they may take losses hard, so allow them time to recover. Explore who they are competing for and consider how they can be champions for others.

Discover the Strength of Your “Competition” Talent

Find out if “Competition” is one of your dominant talents with CliftonStrengths 34 or CliftonStrengths Top 5, gaining personalized insights and strategies to maximize your potential.

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