Is Competition A Superpower At Work - Or A Secret Liability? with Brandon Miller
Ever worked with someone so driven to win it feels inspiring… or maybe exhausting?
Brandon, whose top 10 strengths include a power-packed stack of influencing themes (including Competition, Command, and Woo), makes a compelling case for why Competition, when coached well, can elevate an entire team’s performance.
Brandon, whose top 10 strengths include a power-packed stack of influencing themes (including Competition, Command, and Woo), makes a compelling case for why Competition, when coached well, can elevate an entire team’s performance.
In this episode of Strengths on Fire, Sarah and Bill dive into a bold, energizing debate with fellow strengths coach Brandon Miller. You’ll hear stories from Brandon’s life as a coach, dad, and leader, including what pickleball taught him about performance, and why a driven eighth grader became his most inspiring MVP. They explore how Competition fuels preparation, why some of the best performers make the worst coaches, and how to spot the line between healthy drive and team disruption.
Plus, if Competition is nowhere in your top 10, don’t worry—this episode is packed with insight into how other strengths (like Woo, Achiever, or Relator) can help you compete in your own way. Whether you love the thrill of winning or avoid competition at all costs, this conversation will give you a fresh lens on leadership, motivation, and how to work with (and coach) the driven people around you.
7 Main Takeaways
- Conflict on strong teams is normal and healthy—avoidance is more dangerous than disagreement.
- Competition thrives on preparation, not just performance, and that’s where its power lies.
- Everyone has the potential to lead, but finding the right role for your leadership matters.
- High Competition can uplift a team—or derail it—depending on maturity and coaching.
- Woo and Competition together create a drive to win people over and win in general.
- Great competitors aren’t always great coaches; self-awareness is key in leadership roles.
- Strengths don’t operate in isolation—context, maturity, and pairing with other themes shape behavior.
Sound Bites
- “Strong teams don’t avoid conflict—they work through it.”
- “Competition is a superpower when it’s mature, focused, and others-oriented.”
- “The best competitors are also the best preparers.”
- “Everyone wants to win, but not everyone is wired to need the win.”
- “High competition without maturity is just ego on display.”
- “Influencing themes like Competition are designed to bring people with you, not just beat them.”
- “Immature competition says ‘me first’; mature competition says ‘let’s rise together.’”
- “Great competitors show what’s possible—they raise the bar for everyone.”
- “Coaching a competitor is easy—just show them how to win and they’re in.”
- “A competitor with achiever next door is a podium threat every time.”
- “Losing isn’t always the worst thing for a team—it’s sometimes the greatest teacher.”
- “Control is the real culprit behind many dumpster fire moments, not just one strength.”
- “Your strengths don’t make you great—how you manage them does.”
- “Sometimes the best place for a high competitor isn’t on a team—it’s as an individual contributor.”
- “A great coach doesn’t say ‘do it like I did’—they say ‘let’s do it your way, but better.’”
Bill's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Individualization
2) Developer
3) Activator
4) Woo
5) Restorative
6) Empathy
7) Harmony
8) Connectedness
9) Relator
10) Learner
Sarah's Top 10 CliftonStrengths
1) Positivity
2) Woo
3) Communication
4) Harmony
5) Activator
6) Developer
7) Input
8) Individualization
9) Responsibility
10) Arranger
Official Strengths On Fire Website: https://strengthsonfire.transistor.fm
GET MORE FROM BILL AND SARAH:
Bill's info:
https://billdippel.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdippel/
https://www.instagram.com/billdippelcoach/
Sarah's info:
https://www.wearecollinsco.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcoachcollins/
https://www.instagram.com/sarahcoachcollins/
Bill's info:
https://billdippel.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdippel/
https://www.instagram.com/billdippelcoach/
Sarah's info:
https://www.wearecollinsco.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcoachcollins/
https://www.instagram.com/sarahcoachcollins/
Creators and Guests
Host
Bill Dippel
Bill Dippel is a certified, professional Strengths coach with a 35-year career in nonprofits and higher education. His passion is working with organizations, teams, and individuals to ensure they are performing and communicating at the highest levels. As president of Bill Dippel Strengths Coaching, he travels frequently for large events and public speaking, as well as working with whole companies through their management teams.
Host
Sarah Collins
Sarah Collins is a certified CliftonStrengths coach and founder of Collins Collective, with over 12 years of experience in strengths-based coaching and leadership development. Her passion lies in empowering businesses, teams, and individuals to communicate and perform at their best by focusing on what they do well. As the leader of Collins Collective, Sarah combines engaging workshops, high-impact keynotes, and in-depth coaching to foster growth and connection. Based in Nebraska, she partners with businesses to drive meaningful change and create high-performing teams.
