What If Competing Is the Reason Your Team Isn't Winning?

You can't win the game if you're playing against your own side.

Why do smart, capable coworkers act like rivals instead of teammates? Why do departments build walls instead of bridges—even when the goal is the same?

As a leader, nothing frustrates me more than seeing colleagues compete with each other instead of building together. Too often, colleagues pour energy into protecting their own plans or competing internally—when the real competitor is outside the building.

As I often remind my teams: "The enemy is not ourselves. It's the competition."

If you've ever led a cross-functional initiative, you've likely felt this tension. Colleagues zero in on their own goals. They seek approval for plans that barely consider adjacent expertise. The result? Everyone is working hard, but not necessarily together.

This isn't just inefficient. It's a missed opportunity for exponential outcomes.

Covey's Model: Moving From Independence to Interdependence

I first learned this idea over 15 years ago when I read Stephen R. Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It had a big impact on my own leadership style. At the time, I was used to operating independently. I took pride in getting things done efficiently and owning my outcomes.

But Covey helped me see that independence, while valuable, is only a midpoint, not the destination.

Covey outlines three stages of maturity:

• Dependence – You rely on others to get things done.
• Independence – You rely on yourself and take pride in autonomy.
• Interdependence – You work together to achieve what none of you could alone.

I realized how easy it is, even for high performers, to stop at independence. It feels responsible and strong. But as Covey put it, interdependent people "combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success."

Interdependence Is Harder—But It's Worth It

In my experience, building interdependence takes more time and maybe double the effort—but the output isn't just double. It's exponential. I've seen how bringing together experts across functions consistently produces outcomes no single team could achieve alone. The benefits don't show up right away. That's why teams often give up too soon and fall back on independence. But if you stay with it, the payoff is greater than anything one team could achieve alone.

Lead the Shift to Interdependence

Take a moment to ask yourself: Are you operating independently, or are you truly building with others? The real breakthroughs come when teams collaborate across boundaries.

As a leader, your role is to create a culture where shared thinking and joint ownership are the norm. When your team starts building together, not just alongside each other, you unlock exponential results.

Three Actions You Can Take to Foster Interdependence

1. Involve Other Stakeholders Early: Invite cross-functional input at the start of any major initiative.

2. Reward Collaboration, Not Just Execution: Recognize those who collaborate.

3. Be Open & Vulnerable: Share early and invite challenge.

Interdependence doesn't happen by accident.

It happens when leaders set the right expectations and lead by example.