The nature of competition is to win.

But what about the spirit of competition?

A MESSAGE FROM KEVIN JOHN FONG

Settling Scores



Competition is pervasive. We win and lose in the classroom, in sports, in the workplace, and in our social circles. Sometimes we measure winners by objective standards, such as who crossed the finish line or completed a task first. Other times we use more subjective metrics, when judges score a performance. However we determine winners and losers, sometimes people get sore and will look to settle scores.



I witnessed such score settling last weekend at the Drum Corps International World Championships. For the uninitiated, drum corps is a musical and visual activity where up to 150 performers deliver a twelve-minute program on a football field. This video montage will give you a taste of the choreography, precision and music that these young volunteers deliver. The caliber of these programs, can, in my view, approach the divine.







DCI World Championships Awards Ceremony - Indianapolis, IN



When the emcee announced the results, fans left the stadium in droves, bewildered and disappointed. Some later cited conspiracy theories and expressed anger on social media. I too felt disappointed. While the Blue Devils performed better that night, they had not delivered a program as difficult or as memorable as the other corps. I also experienced "winning fatigue." The Blue Devils had claimed nearly half of the championships in DCI history. Wasn't it time for another corps to win?



Since my flight was at 6am, I elected to pull an all-nighter at the airport where hundreds of exhilarated and exhausted performers also gathered in the terminal. I sat with members from five different corps, and listened to their reflections on the season.



"Scores are scores. That's not at all what it was about for me."



"Being on the field with 150 of your best friends and having 22,000 people cheer you on for doing your best...it doesn't get better than that."



"Of course I won. I had a great summer, made great memories and lifelong friendships."



In checking out social media, I found a posting from this performer from Carolina Crown -



"The Blue Devils never cease to amaze me with their skill and unparalleled class. Hugging their members on finals night and being congratulated on a wonderful season was an experience I'll never forget. I can't wait to get out there and compete with such a talented organization next season."



In these exchanges, I discovered that I had framed the event in a way that robbed me of its essentials. These young people had no scores to settle. Each of them spent months of 14-hour days practicing and performing their programs. They traveled thousands of miles throughout the country in busses, sleeping on gym floors, and having the time of their lives. They went out on the field each night and left everything they had out there. Whether their corps scored the highest or the lowest, they all held the utmost respect for each other.



I also discovered that the Blue Devils is an organization that is designed to win. They have two feeder corps where members as young as 8 can begin their training. Their staff knows how to design programs that will please judges and maximize points. Their budget and sponsors can provide the best equipment and training available. Other corps are designed to not necessarily win the championships, but perhaps to: push the envelope; tell a great story; share a specific culture; or to move hearts and minds. For them, winning is defined in many other ways.



I spoke with Alexis, a baritone player from the Mandarins, the corps that I was a member of in the 80's. Her winning moment occurred in Allentown, PA, where the Mandarins were asked to volunteer five members to assist a special-needs corps onto the field. In true drum corps spirit, all 150 members volunteered to accompany and cheer their new friends on from the sidelines. "I never felt more proud to be a Mandarin," she said.



Competition suggests a single winner. But these performers taught me that losing does not make one a loser. The spirit of competition allows us to push ourselves out of our comfort zones, to bring forth our unique talents and gifts, and to leave everything we've got on the field.



If we look past the scores and reflect upon the how the spirit of competition inspires us all to our own greatness, we all achieve a more profound win.





Questions for reflection and discussion -

1. How do you define winning? How important is winning to you?

2. Talk about a time that you wanted to settle a score. What made you feel that way? What was the outcome?

3. What are you (or your organization) designed to do? The 2015 finals competition was one of the most exciting in recent years, as just 1.25 points (out of 100) separated the top four corps. Any corps could have claimed the championship. While the crowd favorite was Carolina Crown from Ft. Mill, SC, the Blue Devils from Concord, CA prevailed by a half-point.When the emcee announced the results, fans left the stadium in droves, bewildered and disappointed. Some later cited conspiracy theories and expressed anger on social media. I too felt disappointed. While the Blue Devils performed better that night, they had not delivered a program as difficult or as memorable as the other corps. I also experienced "winning fatigue." The Blue Devils had claimed nearly half of the championships in DCI history. Wasn't it time for another corps to win?Since my flight was at 6am, I elected to pull an all-nighter at the airport where hundreds of exhilarated and exhausted performers also gathered in the terminal. I sat with members from five different corps, and listened to their reflections on the season."Scores are scores. That's not at all what it was about for me.""Being on the field with 150 of your best friends and having 22,000 people cheer you on for doing your best...it doesn't get better than that.""Of course I won. I had a great summer, made great memories and lifelong friendships."In checking out social media, I found a posting from this performer from Carolina Crown -"The Blue Devils never cease to amaze me with their skill and unparalleled class. Hugging their members on finals night and being congratulated on a wonderful season was an experience I'll never forget. I can't wait to get out there and compete with such a talented organization next season."In these exchanges, I discovered that I had framed the event in a way that robbed me of its essentials. These young people had no scores to settle. Each of them spent months of 14-hour days practicing and performing their programs. They traveled thousands of miles throughout the country in busses, sleeping on gym floors, and having the time of their lives. They went out on the field each night and left everything they had out there. Whether their corps scored the highest or the lowest, they all held the utmost respect for each other.I also discovered that the Blue Devils is an organization that is designed to win. They have two feeder corps where members as young as 8 can begin their training. Their staff knows how to design programs that will please judges and maximize points. Their budget and sponsors can provide the best equipment and training available. Other corps are designed to not necessarily win the championships, but perhaps to: push the envelope; tell a great story; share a specific culture; or to move hearts and minds. For them, winning is defined in many other ways.I spoke with Alexis, a baritone player from the Mandarins, the corps that I was a member of in the 80's. Her winning moment occurred in Allentown, PA, where the Mandarins were asked to volunteer five members to assist a special-needs corps onto the field. In true drum corps spirit, all 150 members volunteered to accompany and cheer their new friends on from the sidelines. "I never felt more proud to be a Mandarin," she said.Competition suggests a single winner. But these performers taught me that losing does not make one a loser. The spirit of competition allows us to push ourselves out of our comfort zones, to bring forth our unique talents and gifts, and to leave everything we've got on the field.If we look past the scores and reflect upon the how the spirit of competition inspires us all to our own greatness, we all achieve a more profound win.Questions for reflection and discussion -1. How do you define winning? How important is winning to you?2. Talk about a time that you wanted to settle a score. What made you feel that way? What was the outcome?3. What are you (or your organization) designed to do? OUR MISSION Elemental Partners cultivates healthy and prosperous organizations through clarity of purpose, alignment of principles, and integration of systems.



For more information, visit us at www.elementalpartners.ne t or email us at kevin @elementalpartners.net





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