Competing or Completing? A Culture Question

In one of our recent workshops, a familiar question came up — the classic “which comes first: the chicken or the egg?” It sparked a lively debate that quickly connected to something much bigger: what truly drives your business forward?

We call it “the three things that ring the bell.”

Every organization — no matter the industry or size — has three primary drivers that determine growth and success. But here’s the challenge: if everything is treated as equally important, nothing actually is. Narrowing your scope to focus on the top three things that truly move the needle is critical.

Once those priorities are clear, the next step becomes:

Who’s responsible for bringing them to life, and how do we align around them?

When Priorities Compete Instead of Connect

In insurance, this often shows up in conversations like new or renewal service — which one matters most? Or, sales vs. operations — who should get more attention or resources?

When alignment is missing, people start protecting themselves instead of protecting each other. You’ll hear things like:

And while that mindset may come from a place of pride, it also creates friction. It stems from misaligned incentives — different teams chasing different goals instead of one unified outcome.

In large organizations, that often shows up as competing KPIs. One layer of the business is measured by one set of metrics, while another layer is measured by something completely different — even contradictory. When those incentives pull in opposite directions, collaboration becomes almost impossible.

The Ecosystem Mindset

True alignment starts when everyone understands the bigger ecosystem — how each role contributes to the same purpose.

That kind of cultural safety doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through clarity, communication, and connection. Every layer of your organization, from leadership to service, should understand why their work matters, how it connects to the larger mission, and where their efforts drive impact.

When that clarity is missing, people end up competing instead of collaborating. Stephen Covey’s The 8th Habit touches on this — noting that in most organizations, almost everyone ends up competing against each other rather than working toward a shared goal.

Clarity Creates Safety — and Results

The takeaway?

If your team isn’t aligned on the top three things that truly drive your business — and how each role supports them — it’s easy to lose momentum to misalignment, confusion, and competition.

But when you narrow the focus, clarify priorities, and align your people around a shared vision, you create the kind of culture where everyone is working with each other instead of against each other.

And that’s when the bell really starts to ring.

Through our programs at ELEVATION180, your future becomes predictable. If you’re ready to maximize your energy, grow your business, and unlock your Bigger Future, reach out to us. We’d love to explore how we can help you avoid burnout and elevate your success.

ELEVATION180 is a transformational coaching and mentoring organization that elevates your performance to achieve freedom, lifelong sustainable results, and a bigger future. Discover more by visiting www.ELEVATION180.com.

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