Let’s talk about competition. Not the kind where you’re seeing who can eat the most tacos or ace trivia night, but the kind that feels like it’s woven into every corner of your life—work, school, even healthcare.
In Western culture, competition is so ingrained that we often don’t even notice it. But here’s a thought: what if all this competing is holding us back? What if the real power lies in collaboration?
Let me share a story that flipped my own thinking on competition and might do the same for you.
Turning Competition into Collaboration: A Housing Story
In the summer of 2023, I was hunting for an apartment in the Netherlands. Specifically, I was looking in the Randstad area—think Amsterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague. If you’re not familiar, the housing market there is wild. With a significant housing shortage and demand through the roof, I spent hours every day looking for apartments, submitting inquiries for hundreds of listings, and getting very few responses.
When I finally got an invitation to a viewing, it was for a 60-square-foot studio in Utrecht. Yes, you read that right—60 square feet. I arrived to find a line of ten other hopeful renters outside. Looking at them, my first thought was: These are my competitors. How do I outshine them? But then, a different thought struck me: What if they’re not competitors at all?
So, I started a conversation: “How long have you all been looking?” and “What’s your experience been like?” Soon, we were sharing stories, frustrations, and even tips on available listings. While none of us ended up renting that apartment, we exchanged numbers and created a WhatsApp group to support one another through the search. We shared leads, cheered each other on, and even grabbed drinks together after viewings. Collaboration turned a stressful, isolating process into something communal and supportive.
Competition in Healthcare: An Unseen Barrier
This isn’t just a housing story. It’s a perfect lens to explore how we tackle challenges in healthcare—and whether competition is helping or hurting us. Think about the competitive dynamics baked into our field:
Students competing to get into nursing or medical school.
Healthcare teams competing for limited resources or recognition.
Managers competing for promotions or departmental budgets.
Competition can push us to excel, but it can also create silos, resentment, and burnout. When we see colleagues as rivals rather than partners, we miss opportunities for collaboration that could lead to better patient outcomes and healthier workplaces.
The Alternative: Leaning Into Collaboration
What if, instead of competing, we focused on building partnerships? In my housing search, collaboration turned frustration into progress. In healthcare, it can do the same—and more.
Imagine:
Departments working together to solve staffing shortages, rather than fighting over limited resources.
Interdisciplinary teams sharing insights to improve patient care.
Nurse leaders reaching across silos (even across organizations!) to foster a culture of mutual support.
Collaboration doesn’t erase challenges, but it transforms how we approach them. By focusing on shared goals, we can create solutions that benefit everyone.
Reflective Prompts
Ready to lean into collaboration? Start with these questions:
Where in your life or work do you feel the pull of competition?
Who might be an unlikely partner in solving your shared challenges?
What shared goals can you work toward with others?
These reflections can help you reframe competition as an opportunity for partnership.
Systems Thinking and Changemaking
Partnership isn’t just about being nice; it’s about making systems work better. When we approach challenges through a systems-thinking lens, we see how interconnected our goals and obstacles are. Programs like Change Maker Essentialshelp healthcare professionals adopt this mindset, facilitating collaboration across disciplines and organizational levels.
By fostering conversations that highlight shared goals, we can break down silos and drive meaningful change—together.
What’s Next?
Collaboration isn’t just a nice idea; it’s how we create real change. If this post gave you something to think about, why not explore it further? Listen to the full episode on the Nursing the System Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more stories and strategies.
And hey, don’t do this alone—subscribe to the Systems Sunday Email List for practical tips to bring collaboration into your work and life. Change starts here.
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