Cheering On the Competition

I’m a Green Bay Packers fan, but last weekend I attended the Indianapolis Colts preseason football game because my granddaughter, along with hundreds of other little girls, was in a cheerleading performance during half-time.

When they say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” — meaning that it’s best to follow the traditions or customs of a place being visited — I  cheered for the Colts to win their game. Guess I didn’t cheer enough, as the Colts lost to the Denver Broncos 34-30.

Watching the summer Olympic games also reminded me how you can be happy for the opposing team, as plenty of congratulations were given by all competitors whether they won a gold, silver or bronze medal. They all knew how hard each of them had practiced and worked to even get there.

Have you, as a professional tower, ever been happy and excited for a competitor if they won an award, or were recognized for a great achievement? What about the company down the road who just purchased a brand new tow truck? Did you call to congratulate them or give them a handshake the next time you saw them? We all know how hard we work to purchase a new or even used tow truck in today’s market.  (Did I just hear a no way would I call my competitor to congratulate them?)

Healthy competition teaches us about integrity, being sincere and good sportsmanship. It teaches us to be the better person whether we win or lose; and we all know the feeling of both. Too often we hear of the negativing in our industry. Remember, you can be a competitor, but you can also be a colleague.