Expanding the "Win Pie" in Sports and Business

Few areas of life are more zero sum than sports and business. If your opponent wins then you lose – it's as simple as that.

Maybe not, says Wharton psychologist Adam Grant. Collaboration with a rival can boost your performance, Grant argues. He builds his case around Shalane Flanagan, the 2017 New York City Marathon champion, and Wade Eyerly, the founder of a startup airline. Flanagan trains with her rivals and supports them during competition, slowing down to run alongside an opponent during the 2016 Olympic trials. Everly reached out to a rival for advice, seeing in his rival not just an opponent but a kindred spirit. The rival did more than offer advice: he helped secure critical funding for Everly's company.

Data backs the concept of collaborative competition, both in sports and business. Long-distance runners are about 5 seconds per kilometer faster when one of their top rivals is in the race, according to a 2014 study. Supportive rivalries in business are more likely to develop when you share a group identity with your competitors.

Think about these points the next time you run into a rival. She may offer opportunities to learn – and bolster your business.