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Divine Discontent
In Leadership
In Leadership
by
One characteristic critical to world-class teams is “divine discontent.” It is an attitude to learning and growth that is never satisfied with past achievements but always searching for the next challenge. It is remarkable how many sports players and teams are perpetually dissatisfied with their performance. After what seems an outstanding performance they appear ill at ease. Outsiders may even think them churlish.
World-class teams are highly analytical and self-critical. They feel there is always more that could have been done, mistakes that could have been eliminated, and opportunities that could have been taken. The attitude is not one of unrelenting self-criticism, but rather a conviction that there is always more to be learned. The best teams I played with were forever searching for the tiniest possible increment of improvement.
Divine discontent with the limits of current performance is balanced in world-class teams by their confidence in their ability to improve.
Coined by David Kirk cofounder and managing partner at Bailador Investment Management. Captain of the New Zealand All Black rugby team from 1986 to 1987.
Additional Info
- References & Web Links: This definition is an extract from the article World-class teams. Mckinsey Quarterly
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http://www.mckinsey.com/Insights/Organization/World-class_teams
Author David Kirk cofounder and managing partner at Bailador Investment Management. Captain of the New Zealand All Black rugby team from 1986 to 1987.
