Patwoman's Good Sportsmanship Tips

I've decided not to write Patwoman's Job Hunting Tips this month. Listen, I've been doing Patwoman's Job Hunting Tips for a couple of years now. If there are people out there who are still answering their cell phones during job interviews, still telling the HR Recruiter they'd better get the job, still showing up to the interview in t-shirts and flip flops, well then maybe they have bigger fish to fry.

What I'd like to talk about this month is Good Sportsmanship. As you know, T & I are pretty hardcore gamers. We actually own a game store, that's how much we are into games. So trust when I say being a good player is more important than playing well.

Like so many other things people learn (or should have learned) in childhood, good sportsmanship is a trait that carries over into the business world. The rules are pretty similar.

For example, Play Fair. In the game world, it means don't cheat, follow the rules, don't steal from your friends, etc. It means the same in the business world. Whether you are a manager or an entry level drone, if you take credit for someone else's work, you're gonna get found out. If you break your promises, you will lose your credibility. And if you screw someone over, it will get ugly.

I read so much these days about how the business world is cutthroat and cruel, so you'd better put your big girl panties on and get them before they get you. And maybe that's true. Mabye you do need to lie, cheat, and steal to be a raging business success. Maybe you do need to step on your friends to advance.

But I don't think so.

Didn't we all learn, as children, that cheating is wrong? And that winning that way is just not the same as really winning? And that nobody wants to play with a cheater anyway?

When I look at gamers of all ages, having a good time whether they are playing casually or competitively, I'm always very proud of the good sportsmanship and fair play I see.

And I wonder... Why don't we see the same behaviors in the business world?