1. Motivation Through Competition
A 5-minute Guide for Preventing DFA Team Burnout

2. Why Competition?
Good teams do more as a collective whole than they do individually
Projects that do not have continuous progress lead to burnouts
The lack of accountability leads to a diffusion of responsibly, competition fixes these issues
Competition is a PROVEN method for increasing motivation among team members (see references)
Competition is fun and can promote team bonding

3. Competition as a Leadership Asset
According to the Gallup’s Tom Rath, years of research has led to the conclusion that Competition is a leadership asset (or talent)
Leaders who are competitive by nature measure their progress against others and work to be first among many. This helps them build trust, show compassion, provide stability for the team, and create hope for a better future end result
A Team Lead who is competitive with other DFA teams can help the leader’s team members work more productively
Team Members who compete against one another in friendly competition make use of this leadership asset at the TM level

4. A Cautionary Word
The Harvard Business Review’s top 10 leadership book on leadership warns against unfriendly competition: it is only effective when there are not threats and Team Members are interested
Ideally, competition will direct more work toward the goals of the team as well as the individuals previously discussed in the Team Charter
Competition may make workers more individually focused rather than group-focused in the long-run
Competition, when unhealthy, can make Team Members stressed and unhappy

5. 5 Minute Activities: A Fun Break
We have been talking about Long-Term Competition. However, these short competitive activities can rejuvenate a team that is “burning out”
Friendly Competition Ideas
Break the team into groups of two: have the first team build marshmellow tower with toothpicks and marshmallows. The second team starts half a minute later. The first team works for 2 minutes, while the second team takes 1.5 minutes
This also teaches time management
Break the team into 2: have each team build a catch and equipment to drop an egg without breaking it
This also teaches cooperation because one cannot do this alone

6. Long Term Competition
Give team members incentives for completing their own work better:
The team member who comes with the most creative solution to a problem given at the end of the previous meeting receives a reward
Give Team members incentives to address problems with the current way of doing things
The team member who gives the best assessment of what’s currently going on and can think of better ideas receives recognition or a reward at the beginning of the next meeting
Give Team members incentives for helping one another out:
Any team member who works on a problem that does not fall on one’s individual responsibility is rewarded for the next meeting

7. How to Set Long Term Goals
Go in a circle around table and ask for each members individual goals, what they want out of the experience (some may say skills or resume boost, while others may be genuinely most interested in doing good work in DFA)
Restate the team goals stated in the Team Charter
Come together to form goals for each week that combines both individual goals as well as the team goals
Examples include: have team members with certain skills teach them to other team members,
Come together for a reward and punishment system
The Team Lead or an assigned individual is responsible for presenting the reward or punishment at the beginning of each team meeting

8. Resources Used
Beersma, B., Hollenbeck, J. R., Humphrey, S. E., Moon, H., Conlon, D. E., & Ilgen, D. R. (2003). Cooperation, Competition, and Team Performance: Toward a Contingency Approach. Academy Of Management Journal,46(5), doi: /
Tauer, J. M., & Harackiewicz, J. M. (2004). The Effects of Cooperation and Competition on Intrinsic Motivation and Performance. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 86(6), doi: /
Hbr's 10 Must Reads on Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press, 2011. Print.
Rath, Tom, and Barry Conchie. Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow. New York: Gallup Press, 2008. Print.