The Best Way to Win

I am reading a book about "showing off" at work. An interesting concept. I came across this passage early in the book:

The bottom line on how the world works most of the time is that the best way to get what you want is to be sure the other person is getting what they want. If you don't understand that, then you don't understand the basic fundamental operating principles of business, relationships, politics, or playground dynamics.

Showing off means finding the best way to win - which requires you to find the best way to let the other person win, too. If you doubt that this is true, I invite you to try the strategy of making the other guy lose. Do it. Make sure that whoever you're playing with loses, whether it's your coworker, spouse, child, friend, customer, vendor, or the ticket agent at the airport when your flight has been cancelled. Go for it. Make that person lose. Then see what happens, Mr. or Mrs. Tough Guy.

They won't play with you anymore. That's how it works. If you make people lose, aren't fun to play with, or just generally a pain in the ass to be around, people will stop playing with you. They will pick up their ball and go home.

I can't wait to finish the book! 

"Work Like You're Showing Off - The Joy, Jazz and Kick of Being Better Tomorrow than you were Today" by Joe Calloway