Bookworm: A Bigger Prize

Dr Margaret Heffernan explains why collaboration, rather than competition, is the key to organisational success.

A prize! So this is a book about winning?

No, quite the opposite. The book's full title is actually A Bigger Prize: How We Can Do Better than the Competition.

In it, entrepreneur Dr Margaret Heffernan argues that life, family, relationships, education and business are all far too focused on ‘winning’. She proposes a departure from the notion of competition and a move towards collaborative teams and successful societies.

What’s wrong with a bit of healthy competition?

Well, it's not always healthy. A sense of competition can be at the root of some very questionable decision-making.

For example, in a study in 1984, 198 athletes were asked whether they would take an undetectable performance-enhancing drug if it meant they would win a gold medal, but die in the next five years; more than half said “yes please!”.

But we mere mortals don’t think like that, do we?

Increasingly, we do. Whether it’s the size of our pay packet, the luxury of our holiday, our child’s academic successes or even the cuteness of our cat (all shown off on social media), our life is measurable and ‘winnable’ in a way it never has been before. Many of us are guilty of playing along.

Aren’t these things to be proud of, though?

They might be, but personal satisfaction in all these areas can be achieved without competition. For one person to be crowned victorious, many more people have to be labelled losers.

Furthermore, to pit ourselves against each other means that we have to do everything alone, without asking for help. That, followed by the inevitable moment when someone else wins, is a recipe for burnout and unhappiness.

Why are we such suckers for competition?

Unfortunately, childhood is imbued with competition. At school, we sit tests and compete at sport; our hard work is rewarded withs A*s and our name on trophies. At home, we compete with our siblings for our parents’ attention or praise. We might learn to manipulate or cheat in order to avoid the devastation of losing.

Can’t we leave all of that at the school gates?

We can leave behind some of the questionable behaviour, of course, but two very unhelpful lessons stay with us as a result of these formative experiences:

External validation counts for more than our own fulfilment. Why bother continuing to learn to paint with oils if there is someone in the class who’s better than you?
The way to get ahead is by stopping other people from succeeding. It’s everyone for themselves.

Business is inherently competitive, so how should things change?

In these increasingly complex times, it’s overly simplistic to view the market as a race to the top. It’s now possible to have multiple success stories in any given field. One person’s success does not necessitate another’s failure.

In fact, the sharing of ideas, resources and efforts can create more successes and new innovations than individuals would achieve alone. Even Einstein needed help from a mathematician – and he wasn’t afraid to ask for it. We should know our skills, and ask others to fill in our gaps.

What’s the risk of businesses continuing to battle it out?

On the assumption that ‘bigger is better’, businesses look to acquire more and more assets, and gain an ever larger market share. This leads to bosses taking huge risks, spending huge sums, and neglecting areas of their business that genuinely need funding.

Could you give an example?

Heffernan offers the cautionary tale of energy company BP acquiring three oil companies in one go, leading it into massive debt. In order to cut costs, maintenance budgets for its Texas oil rigs were slashed, resulting in an explosion that killed 15 people.

That sounds like an extreme example. What is the danger day to day?

The presence of these monolithic companies dramatically affects public life. When a company is critical to the economy, its bosses know that the government will always bail it out. So, riskier and riskier punts are taken, huge losses are incurred, and the tax paying public take the hit.

Similarly, huge companies with their focus on profit alone have little time for human or animal rights, treating everyone and everything as a resource to be plumbed. The effect on a nation’s wealth and wellbeing is net-negative to say the least.

How can we overcome the culture of competition?

Heffernan offers two simple directives to change the world:

In education, assess individual progression rather than comparing classmates. This is how the Finnish system works, and their national scholastic scores compare favourably against our archaic tally.
In business and politics, foster flat hierarchies. Companies where all employees share ownership of the company as well as its values are more innovative, profitable and sustainable than those with traditional stacked hierarchies.

What am I most likely to say after reading this book?

“It’s not the winning; it’s the taking part.”

What am I least likely to say after reading this book?

“The winner takes it all!”