In this photo, you see me in full battle mode. Ready to win. Or so I thought.
But what I really won was a lesson I won’t forget anytime soon…
Together with five other entrepreneurs, I stood on a cold, windy beach in the UK. Coach Jeff gave us a task: a rivalry game.
Three duos. Each participant shares a challenge in their business. The other two teams offer advice. The person with the challenge chooses which duo gave the “best” advice. Simple, right?
I thought I was being clever.
Rivalry? I’ll go all in. Dismantle the other teams’ advice, come back with even sharper insights. That’s how I’d show we’re the smartest.
Spoiler: it didn’t go as planned.
Because what I forgot was this:
The people whose advice I had just torn apart… would soon get their turn too.
And they’d get to choose who wins or loses.
And so it went: I lost nearly every round.
Not because our advice was bad. But because I forgot the relationship.
I played the game strategically, but not humanely. And in business, just like on the beach, it always comes down to relationships.
You win on content but you only truly win when the connection is right.
Even in a rivalry game, the one who connects wins. Not the one who fights.
With my ego bruised but my head full of insight, I went for a cold swim afterward.
That part was actually nice 😅
Thanks for this valuable experience:
🔹 Matthijs
🔹 Chloé
🔹 Marleen
🔹 Jarno
🔹 Tom Wilmssen
And of course Jeff for the sharp coaching & Olivier for capturing this battle-ready photo 💪
