August 5th 2014
A Bigger Prize. How we can do better than the competition. Margaret Heffernan.
A Bigger Prize. How we can do better than the competition. Margaret Heffernan. 2014. ISBN 9780385679831. The author, after some very thoughtful , thorough research, has put together a well written, concise book that shows how competition is not the be all and end all of moving forward. All to quickly much of society is moving toward a belief that in order fo an individual to get ahead someone else has to lose – the zero sum game.She pretty well slams the counterproductive effects of competition on :
- education
- sports
- academia
- research
- financial services
- software
- music
- movies
- drug discovery
- subprime debt
- and more
What makes her arguments so compelling is that we have all seen exactly what she is pointing out and that if we allow this win at all cost approach to continue we will all be worse off. Not so say reading this will cause you to become a card carrying Occupy Wallstreet member, but unfettered capitalism /competition (in order for me to get ahead, you have to lose) is taking us down the wrong road. What hit me the hardest is my current research on human development and innovation is pointing to similar conclusions as this author. If you are any kind of leader, coach, educator this is one book you must read.
Related articles
- Bargain Alert! Willful Blindness by Margaret Heffernan @M_Heffernan for $1.99! #Kindle (randomizeme.net)
- Margaret Heffernan: Dare to disagree (lugenfamilyoffice.com)
- TED: Margaret Heffernan: Dare to disagree – Margaret Heffernan (2012) (ted.com)
- A Bigger Prize review – the price we pay for competition (theguardian.com)
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Category: Leadership, Lifeskills, Management