#007 – Avoid Victories over Superiors
All victories breed hate, and that over your superior is foolish or fatal. Superiority is always detested, a fortiori superiority over superiority. Caution can gloss over common advantages; for example, good looks may be cloaked by careless attire. There be some that will grant you precedence in good luck or good temper, but none in good sense, least of all a prince; for good sense is a royal prerogative, any claim to that is a case of lese majeste. They are princes, and wish to be so in that most princely of qualities. They will allow a man to help them but not to surpass them, and will have any advice tendered them appear like a recollection of something they have forgotten rather than as a guide to something they cannot find. The stars teach us this finesse with happy tact; though they are his children and brilliant like him, they never rival the brilliancy of the sun.
This one is fun to talk about, specifically in the coaching world. We can get caught up in the concept of victories. In the sense of this teaching, we need to look at working with our peers and mentors. It is best if we try not to “beat” them in a knowledge sense. This is more about not showing them up. Take caution when you try to “one-up” a peer or mentor. As you go back later for help, they may still extend their knowledge but they will most certainly be cautious and not teach you everything. They will forever question your motives. There are few things as damaging to a team as an assistant trying to outshine the head/lead coach.
This blog series is based on the book “The Art of Worldly Wisdom” by Balthasar Gracián. This book was written for advice on how to achieve personal and professional success. The goal of this blog series is to visit the points of wisdom and put them in the spotlight of the coaching and education lens.
