Episode 183: Leadership Conundrums: Are Collaboration and Competition Mutually Exclusive in a Relationship?

• February 3, 2022

“Competition makes us faster, collaboration makes us better.” –Unknown

Economic development is a fiercely competitive industry. When we battle it out against other communities to win more and better jobs for our communities, it’s easy to get sucked into fighting mode. Yet, at the same time, collaboration is key to driving the work forward and making us better stewards of our profession. Today, we focus on the question: Can competition and collaboration co-exist in the same relationship?

Carla Sones and Faye Davis talk through some examples of competitors collaborating, called co-opetition, and what the benefits are when two entities bring their best to the table for the purpose of partnering. They dive into team dynamics, personalities flourishing (and clashing), and how to lead a team or a community through seasons of rivalry and teamwork.

Are you trying to overcome the scarcity mindset (if someone wins, someone else must be losing) with your community or team? This episode will help remind you that you’re not alone, that there is hope for getting everyone running in the same direction, and that a spirit of competition isn’t always a bad thing. You can listen on our website, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts!

America’s Jobs Team is sponsored by Research on Investment / Gazelle.ai

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | RSS