Be the Best on Your Team

Competing to Lift Others Up

Alright, let’s get real for a second. When you think about being “the best,” what pops into your head? Probably something like climbing to the top, being the star, getting the recognition, right? But hold up—what if I told you that’s not the kind of “best” we’re talking about today? Forget that me-first, top-of-the-heap mentality for a second. Instead, we’re going to talk about being the best by lifting others up. Yeah, that’s right. You can still win, but it’s by helping your teammates win too. It’s wild how that works.

If you consider yourself a go-er, an overachiever, and someone who enjoys a dose of healthy competition with your coworkers- keeping it low key- you’ve probably had moments in your life where others saw you as the best. If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve been there. And it’s empowering to enjoy the moments when your hard work helped you stand out, get noticed, get promoted. But here’s the thing—what if you could stand out even more by focusing less on how you stack up and more on how you make others around you better? I know, sounds crazy at first, but stick with me. When you stop competing with your team and start competing FOR your team, that’s when the magic happens.

This isn’t some feel-good nonsense either—it's real. When you lift others up, support their goals, and put your focus on the bigger picture, not only do they win, but you win too. I promise, I’ve seen it.

Redefining the Best on a Team

So let’s flip the whole “best on the team” thing on its head. It’s not about racking up the most personal points or snagging all the credit—it’s about making sure your team is crushing it. You’re basically the MVP of making sure others can shine.

Look, the best teammate isn’t always the one scoring the goals. It’s the one passing the ball, making the assists, cheering others on, and setting them up for the win. When everyone’s firing on all cylinders because you helped them get there, the whole team wins—and you win too. The best part? You’re still being the best, just not in the traditional “I’m number one” way. And honestly, who needs that kind of stress? Let’s redefine success as helping others succeed.

Now let’s talk leadership, because this whole “being the best for your team” thing takes on a whole new level when you’re leading. Think about any sports team. The coach isn’t out there making the shots (even if they were an amazing athlete themselves before taking on the role of coach). They’re on the sidelines, guiding, directing, and setting the team up to win.

The best teams are categorically the ones where the coach has built trust. The players know the coach has their back, so they play harder, better, more connected. Same thing with your team—when they know you’re rooting for them, helping them, and setting them up for success, they give it their all. But if you’ve got tension, if there’s mistrust or micromanagement? If they sense you’re clinging to your place at the top by keeping them down? Oof. That’s a recipe for disaster.

The Dream Team Lottery

Being part of the right team can feel like a dream come true. When you’ve got the perfect mix of talent, and everyone’s working together with each other’s best interests in mind, it feels like you’ve hit the jackpot. The alignment, the trust, the flow—it’s like winning the lottery without ever buying a ticket.

Now, here’s a little fun twist. Like anyone, I’ve had those daydreams about winning the lottery. You know, walking in to collect that huge check, imagining all the things I could do with that money. But here’s where my daydreams take a turn: I immediately start thinking about how to give it away. I think about paying off my family’s and friend’s mortgages, starting a free school for the next generation, and making sure the money doesn’t just benefit me, but lifts up everyone around me.

It’s the same mindset I brought to leadership when I became CEO in my last business collaboration. My focus shifted from my own success to being much more directly involved in my team’s success. I spent more time learning about their processes, listening to their ideas, and making their work easier. I even changed a few parts of my vision when I heard their feedback. And the craziest part? The more I gave to them- whether it was flexibility with their schedules or trust in their opinions- the more they gave back to the team. That’s the real jackpot, and the massive increase in the bottom line backed it up.

Incredible Results by Trusting Your Teammates

Here’s the thing: you can’t control everything. You just can’t. And as a leader, trying to do that is a one-way ticket to burnout for both you and your team. But what happens when you trust your team? When you give them the freedom and flexibility they need to succeed? That’s when the good stuff happens.

I saw it firsthand. When I helped my team prioritize work/life balance and simplify the responsibilities on their plate, they didn’t just do their jobs—they thrived. They knew I trusted them to get the work done, especially because I demonstrated that trust when I was okay with them taking time off to be with their family, or working remotely for a week while visiting friends. By giving them that freedom, I got even better results. And really, who wouldn’t want a teammate or a leader like that?

The Risks When a Leader Competes with Their Team

Now let’s talk about something that happens all too often—the leader who competes with their own team. At first, sure, it can be inspiring to work under someone who’s at a higher level than you. You learn from them, and it pushes you to grow. But over time? If you’re not given opportunities to break through ceilings and move up to the next level—heck, maybe even beyond where they are—it starts feeling like a trap. You’re stuck. You’re spinning your wheels, hitting your head on that ceiling, and you start to realize: you’re in a dead end.

And here’s the thing: leaders who compete with their team create this exact environment. They’re so focused on maintaining their own spot at the top that they keep others from climbing. And what happens? Their best people leave, or worse, they give up trying altogether. A true leader wants their people to grow—wants their apprentices to eventually become the masters. When you help others rise, you build loyalty, respect, and long-term success. But if you compete against them? You’re just holding everyone back, including yourself.

Okay, Let’s Play

So, here’s the challenge: how can you show up as the best FOR your team this week? Are you ready to step up and make it less about you and more about everyone thriving?

Ready: Take a step back and think—am I lifting up the people around me, or just focusing on my own goals?

Set: Find a way to support someone on your team this week. Maybe it’s offering some feedback, helping out with a project, or just being there to listen. Small steps, big impact.

Go:

• Listen. And I mean really listen to your teammates. Recognize their worth and value.
• Trust your team members to balance their work and life, and give them the flexibility they need so that they can perform at their best.
• Celebrate your team’s achievements in small moments every day. Celebrate like their wins are your own—because in a way, they are.
• Make recognizing your team a routine practice, not a one-off.

Appreciating Others' Success as Much as Your Own

Here’s the truth: success isn’t just about what you achieve on your own. It’s about how you help others achieve their best too. When you invest in the people around you, when you celebrate their successes with the same enthusiasm as your own, you create an environment where everyone thrives.

Appreciating others’ success doesn’t diminish your own—it amplifies it. When you lift others up, you become the kind of leader or teammate people want to work with. It builds loyalty, creates trust, and most importantly, it fosters a culture where success isn’t a zero-sum game. When one person wins, the whole team wins.

So this week, focus on celebrating the wins around you. Recognize your teammates for the work they’re doing, and make sure they know how much you appreciate their contributions. When you make others feel valued, you’ll find that your own success follows naturally.

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Hey there! I’m Blair Bloomston, the creative mind behind the Play Uplifted blog, fueled by my 20+ years of experience as a game-based learning designer. The ideas and content? All mine. But I have to give a shoutout to my amazing assistant, ChatGPT, who swoops in to fix my typos and smooth out the grammar. Together, we’re here to elevate your leadership game. Cheers for collaborAItion at work!