The finding: People who are slightly behind in a competition are more likely to win than those who are slightly ahead.
A version of this article appeared in the October 2011 issue of Harvard Business Review.
If You Want to Win, Tell Your Team It’s Losing (a Little)
The finding: People who are slightly behind in a competition are more likely to win than those who are slightly ahead. The research: Jonah Berger told subjects that they were competing with a person in another room to see who could make the fastest keystrokes and that the winner would receive a cash prize. After […]
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What you need to know about being in charge.