Why Exemplary Leadership Is A Key Component For Moving Beyond A Zero-Sum Mindset
Updated: Apr 9, 2025
Written by Lars Friedrich, Leadership Expert
Lars Friedrich, a seasoned expert in personal and professional leadership development, brings a unique 'Touch of Zen' to his approach. This distinctive method, honed over a proven track record of over three decades, sets him apart in the field and piques his curiosity.
Exemplary executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs can be their best without feeling superior to others. Unfortunately, this attitude of exemplary leadership is quite the opposite of the apparent Zeitgeist.
An unfavourable Zeitgeist of superiority has been frequently displayed and spread via the news and social media in almost all areas of leadership, from business to politics.
Unfortunately, a closely connected zero-sum mindset and mentality also prevail in these spheres, leading to detrimental effects.
Zero-sum mindset
A zero-sum mindset, often derived from habitual behaviour patterns, is characterised by seeing winning as coming at the expense of someone else losing.
It concludes that it is never a question of enough.
The zero-sum mindset considers situations in binary, either/or terms, based on the assumption that outcomes are defined by efforts and exchanges limited by a finite "pie" of resources.
Based on the idea of limited resources, executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs with a zero-sum mindset perceive others' success as threatening and often react with an aggressive, forceful, and hypercompetitive attitude.
"One problem with politics is that it is a zero-sum game, and, i.e. politicians argue how to cut the pie smaller and smaller by reshuffling pieces of the pie." – Michio Kaku
Research by Harvard University shows that the zero-sum mindset has risen in recent years.
It is a root cause of polarisation in society and organisations, with a prevalence amongst those growing up around the 2008 global financial crisis and the ensuing period of austerity and international instability. ₁
The main attributes of a zero-sum mindset are:
Either/or thinking.
Win/lose.
There's not enough 'pie' for everyone.
Positive-sum mindset
On the other hand, executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs with a positive- sum mindset see situations holistically and across short and long-term time horizons!
This mindset helps them find solutions that break past conflicts and seemingly intractable roadblocks.
It also enables executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs to do what was once considered impractical, unfeasible, and undesirable while holding the tension between delivering value today and creating value for tomorrow because they believe the 'pie' can grow.
"As we think of power in the 21st century, we want to get away from the idea that power's always zero-sum - my gain is your loss and vice versa. Power can also be a positive-sum, where your gain can be my gain." – Joseph Samuel Nye Jr.
The main attributes of a positive-sum mindset are:
Both/and thinking.
Win/win.
The 'pie' can grow with combined efforts.
Practical examples
To make the given definitions more relatable, here are some practical examples of both mindsets in direct comparison:
Zero-sum mindset - what matters is if we win or lose.
Positive-sum mindset - what matters is if we level up and can use more strategies.
Zero-sum mindset - what matters is the order of who added the most value in the meeting.
Positive-sum mindset - what matters is if our idea in its initial form was accepted; otherwise, we didn't add any value to the meeting.
Comparison and competition
When executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs constantly compare themselves to others, they are not only prone to massive drops in motivation, but they might also feel like they are struggling more than their peers or aren't where they should be.
A well-known phenomenon that has tremendously multiplied during the last years with the rise of social media omnipresence!
But objectively, there is no need to worry about making life worse or needlessly comparing themselves with other people's every move, as skilled executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs aren't competing with others.
"Force has no place where there is need of skill." – Herodotus
Because every open, not closed, and regulated market in dynamic business environments ensures that those who don't belong will see themselves sooner or later out.
Regardless of what they do and how loud they present themselves!
Exemplary leadership
To clarify the statements regarding comparison and competition and transfer to exemplary executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs:
Does exemplary leadership include the need to be at the front of the pack? Yes!
Does it need to excel, not simply blend into the herd? Yes!
But neither of these requires exemplary executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs to worry about hurting anyone else's chances.
Because the 'pie' can grow with combined efforts.
They can be driven to be their best - even better than their peers - but do so from a place of fulfilling their potential while supporting, guiding, and leading others.
When at their best, it's even more critical to focus on helping those they can!
"The main thing we were made for is to work with others." – Marcus Aurelius
Therefore, exemplary executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs have a combination of a positive-sum, affiliative, group-oriented, infinite growth mindset.
Because the primary goal of their leadership is to improve the team, company, organisation, or business to succeed, not just themselves!
With that leadership mindset, exemplary executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs can still compare their performance to others to ensure they are above the standard.
Or, even better, set the new standard!
Lars Friedrich, Leadership Expert
Lars Friedrich, a seasoned expert in personal and professional leadership development, brings a unique 'Touch of Zen' to his approach. This distinctive method, honed over a proven track record of over three decades, sets him apart in the field and piques his curiosity.
With a career that has spanned from being a former Officer and Special Forces Operator to a COO in international and intercultural corporate business operations and development positions, and now as the founder of his boutique business, Lars has accumulated a wealth of practical leadership, resilience, discipline, motivation, endurance, commitment, persistence, and dedication.
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