You would be hard-pressed to find an industry with a bigger reputation for competitiveness than law – but professional athletes might give us a run for our money.
Which is why this year’s Olympic Games – so marked by friendliness and collaboration after 18 months of disappointment and isolation – were so touching.
Australian Olympians brought home a record-meeting 46 medals, but it was Ashley Moloney’s bronze in the decathlon that really captured the spirit of the games. He crossed the finish line cheered on by teammate Cedric Dubler, who slowed down to make sure his teammate made it onto the podium.
Dubler was out of the running for a medal, but could have continued on his own to secure the highest possible result for himself. Instead, he sacrificed his personal goals to not only secure a win for the team, but to help out a friend.
As lawyers, our careers can sometimes feel like a win-at-all-costs game. We tell ourselves we must make Senior Associate first, we must be trusted with the best work, we must bring in the best clients to progress.
It’s a feeling that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Between concerns about job security and disappearing clients, the competition has become cutthroat in some legal teams.
As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, a rising tide lifts all boats.
From high-jumping friendships to poolside knitting that overtook the internet, this year’s games have certainly fulfilled the mission of the Olympics in embracing solidarity and friendship across hardship and diversity. Isn’t it time that we take a page out of the Olympians book and redefine what competing really means. Winning doesn’t have to come at the expense of other people’s golden aspirations.