It’s OK to Want to Win

As a team at OrangeBall, we want to win.

There’s something about writing that, or especially saying it out loud, that can make people feel uncomfortable. Over time, the idea of “winning” picked up some interesting undertones. Maybe it’s because we have phrases like “Win at all costs.” Sayings like that have caused us to balance our view of winning with expressions like, “Remember, winning isn’t everything.” Or maybe, we associate winning with losing; if there’s a winner, there must also be a loser. First place always requires someone else to be in second place.

Whatever the reason, saying “we want to win” might raise the hairs on your neck.

Let’s ask it this way, though… When you took your last job, did you want to work for a winning, successful brand – or one that was losing in the marketplace? When you launched your business, did you want to create a winning, successful business – or an environment where “good enough” and losing was acceptable? Looking at the team you work with, do you want to win and succeed together – or lose alongside one another? We all want to win and be successful in our work.

As leaders at OrangeBall, we’re focused on winning. We can say that confidently because we’ve spent time defining what “winning” means to us, and it might not be everything you expect:

1. We win if we’re financially healthy and strong. That’s where many stop, but for us, that’s just the beginning…
2. We win if we create a culture where our team members contribute, know their value, and are challenged to grow.
3. We win if we support our staff with the tools and processes they need to succeed.
4. We win if our clients are growing alongside our team, and our work supports that growth.
5. We win if our reputation in the marketplace makes people say, “You should talk to OrangeBall.”
6. We win if we can be generous with our time and resources.
7. We win if life at work and home all feel good and support each other.

Look at those areas where we’ve defined winning. None of them requires us to step on anyone or win at all costs. For us to win, no one has to lose. Our only competitor in those areas above is ourselves, and if we focus on winning in those spaces above, we will naturally achieve success.

UCLA basketball coach John Wooden captured winning this way, “Although I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to convince them they had always won when they had done their best.”

That’s winning, and it feels good to say, “We are winning.”

Call-to-Action

Define what “winning” looks and feels like for you and your organization, and then start creating that winning team and culture. Embrace winning as a worthy goal, and then make it happen. Work hard, build your culture, and create success for those around you. That’s winning… and it feels amazing. Go get it!