Brain training tests

Today's discovery is a new national brain training test called 'Brain Test Britain'. The idea is that individuals undergo a series of brain training games over the course of 6 weeks, starting with a benchmarking test. The theory goes that in 6 weeks time, if you have committed to regular brain training activities then you will hopefully have shown some improvement and be better at completing other mental tasks. Of course it's also a way for scientists to understand exactly how unintelligent the nation has become.

I jest, of course.

But why are we so interested (interested or obsessed? I sense that the word 'obsessed' may be too strong) in brain power? It is, after all, not the first time that people across the UK have been asked to participate in aptitude tests. Most of us will remember Anne Robinson testing the nation's IQ a few years ago. I have to admit I couldn't personally bear to get involved in this and be lumbered with an albatross-like IQ that I'd have to bear for all eternity (or something like that...). Or the possibility that a letter might appear in the post, personally signed from Anne and confirming that I am, indeed, the weakest link. How did she know?!

Apologies for the digression here. But the question remains, what is so compelling about testing out and challenging our mental faculties? Is it not enough that throughout life we undergo compulsory examinations that are designed to show what we are capable of?

There are many reasons why this could be. Firstly, it's simply good fun. Putting ourselves through regular sudokus, crosswords and epsidoes of Countdown (well maybe not the latter for those who are employed) is actually enjoyable. The reward of completing a task and getting it right quite naturally brings with it a sense of fulfillment and that little bit of everyday happiness that is necessary to keep our lives ticking over. 'It's the little things in life...' etc. etc.

The second reason is that many of us thrive on a bit of competition. Even when it's with ourselves. Whether working to be better than your partner, friend, or your performance in last week's paper, the knowledge that you may have outdone someone, on some level, is quite frankly deeply satisfying.

And it's the latter reason that makes me wonder, yes you guessed it, about its place in business.

Competition is important in business for so many reasons. Perhaps most obviously because if you aren't competitive as a business then you're unlikely to survive (unless of course there's no competition out there, which in this day and age is almost unheard of). But also because your people need to feel some degree of pressure to prove their worth and a bit of healthy competition between colleagues can help to achieve this. What's more, performance management is built on the concept of self-improvement and if you can't compete with your previous performance then there's very little chance of improving at all.

Having said this, let's not get carried away. Competition is good when it's structured e.g. in an appraisal and assessment environment, or as part of team events - a company away day or the like. However, competition is not good when conducted in an aggressive or egotistical manner. As an example, one would expect a sales team to thrive on meeting and beating targets. But when good performers start gloating or use their success as a means of intimidation, it can start to eat away at team morale. The result of which can even be a loss of competition between colleagues and instead endemic levels of under-performance.

Competition is an important and integral element of business life. People should be encouraged to perform at their optimum level, but when spirits are low and behaviours start to disintegrate, watch out for those individuals who may be using their abilities against others. Their talents should be fostered, but not at anyone else's expense.