Recently, I had a conversation with several moms about collaboration and competition. It began with a mom who was very displeased, feeling that her son’s new dance studio was more invested in focusing on competition rather than collaboration.
She strongly felt that all competition should be saved for adulthood and the teen and tween years should focus solely on collaborative efforts. Knowing that this is unlikely to happen in academics, she believed that in the realm of the arts, collaborative effort should be the rule of execution in almost all situations.
Another mom who was present felt the exact opposite, saying that in this day teens and tweens aren’t exposed to enough true competition, and that she wishes the studio her daughter attended as a tween had been more focused on teaching her the reality of competition. That studio had worked to keep the teams “balanced” and emphasized that all were equal in terms of skills.
When her daughter eventually changed studios her daughter was caught off guard by being openly judged and placed on her dance team according to skill level, and found the team she was placed on did not travel to all of the competitions. It was a challenging adjustment for her daughter
I found myself falling in the middle of these two extremes. I believe that collaboration is a highly important skill and value. But for adolescents who must navigate in a world that involves both collaboration and competition, I also believe it is essential for teenagers to develop skills that allow them to manage being part of competition. Being able to navigate both of these contrasting skills in various realms effectively is a key life skill.
Collaboration versus Competition
Collaboration entails working together towards a common goal, fostering cooperation, empathy, and teamwork. On the other hand, competition involves striving to outperform others and achieve personal success. Both collaboration and competition offer unique benefits and challenges, and understanding how to balance these dynamics is crucial for the holistic development of teenagers. By exposing them to both in an appropriate manner, they will be better prepared to navigate real world situations effectively.
Here are some of the benefits of exposure to both collaboration and competition when executed in a healthy, emotionally sensitive and thoughtful environment.
Collaboration: Building Stronger Bonds
Collaboration involves individuals coming together to achieve a shared objective through cooperation and teamwork. It nurtures the development of essential skills and offers various advantages.
Fosters creativity and innovation
Collaboration encourages the exchange of ideas and perspectives, leading to increased creativity and innovation. When working in a team, teens and tweens have the opportunity to bounce ideas off one another, resulting in uniquely creative endeavors that may not have emerged individually.
Develops communication and interpersonal skills
Effective collaboration requires open communication, active listening, and empathy. By engaging in collaborative endeavors, teens and tweens can enhance their ability to express their thoughts, actively listen to others, and understand diverse viewpoints. These skills are invaluable for building positive relationships in personal and professional settings. Creative output may increase as they gain new perspectives.
Cultivates teamwork and cooperation
Collaboration teaches teens and tweens the value of teamwork and cooperation. They learn how to navigate through group dynamics, contribute to collective decision-making, and respect the perspectives of others. These experiences enhance their ability to work effectively in teams, preparing them for future endeavors. It creates the opportunity to learn to take their own creative ideas and combine them with the input gained from others to lead to an elevated outcome.
Competition: Fueling Personal Growth
Competition involves individuals striving to outperform others and attain personal success. While it can be intense, competition presents its own set of benefits and teaches valuable life lessons when presented in a healthy manner.
Encourages self-improvement
Competition pushes teens and tweens to challenge themselves and strive for personal growth. It motivates them to set goals, work diligently, and develop their skills. The desire to perform better can foster a strong work ethic and a commitment to continuous self-improvement in their creative art. Developing tenacity is an important life skill in many areas beyond their artistic endeavors.
Supports a growth mindset
Teens and tweens with a growth mindset believe that they can change, improve, or add new skills with time and effort. The experience of working to build skills in advance of a competition can show them that they can learn and enhance their skills with effort.
Builds resilience and perseverance
Engaging in healthy competition exposes teens and tween to setbacks, failures, and obstacles – all part of life. These experiences help develop resilience and the ability to bounce back from disappointments. Competition teaches them to persevere, learn from failures, and develop strategies to overcome challenges.
Instills a sense of accountability
Competition often comes with a sense of personal responsibility and accountability for outcomes. Teens and tweens learn to take ownership of their actions, accept the consequences of their decisions, and develop a strong sense of integrity within their art. This better prepares them for the demands of adulthood and professional life.
Healthy Collaboration and Competition
Of course, these outcomes are based on HEALTHY collaboration and competition. Unhealthy collaboration can lead to feelings of not being seen, heard or valued if a teen or tweens contributions are not incorporated or recognized. Unhealthy competition can foster feelings of stress and anxiety. When competition is done in a way to place excessive pressure on teens and tweens, they may emerge feeling disappointed or defeated, and it may be harmful to their self-esteem.
I understood the mom who was highly displeased that her son’s studio primarily emphasizing competition over collaboration was not necessarily helpful. Yet, I also believe introducing our teens and tween to healthy competition – while they have the guidance and support of adults as they develop the skills to navigate competition in an effective and gracious manner is developmentally appropriate.
Neither collaboration or competition are good or bad in or of themselves. It’s how they are implemented, incorporated and processed within the artistic journey that can lead to positive life skills teens and tweens will need in their adult lives. I encourage you to keep an eye on how collaboration and competition are being approached in your adolescents’ world, and work to discuss and eliminate environments that promote unhealthy experiences.
Teach your teen or tween to focus on the parts of collaboration and competition they can control – how they speak up, how they listen to others, how much they consistently practice, seeking help when needed and a willingness to take risks and accept failures.
Regardless of your personal feelings about competition, chances are there will be times it is part of your teen or tween’s experience with their creative art. Remind your adolescent to compete in a healthy manner, to set personal goals for themselves and remind them to find ways to have fun no matter the outcome.
