The Difference Between Being a Good Competitor and Being a Good Teammate
Hard Truths, Common Myths, and Leadership Troubleshooting
FFA runs on competition, and it also runs on teams. A member can be excellent at one and poor at the other. A strong competitor pushes, prepares and wants to win. A strong teammate shares credit, listens, covers for others and cares about the group’s result more than their own. The best members do both, but it is a balance, and FFA’s coverage hints at how to find it. This article collects those hints and offers a short test for where you stand.
- Key takeaway: the sources describe competitiveness as healthy when paired with respect, helping others improve and trust in teammates.
- Caution: this is analysis built from interviews and advice, not research on team behavior.
Competing With Respect
Kip Tom, a former National FFA Foundation trustee, told FFA that the organization taught him competitiveness in a spirited way that involves respect for everyone, a drive for continuous improvement and helping others improve too (source). That sentence contains the whole balance: compete, improve and bring others along.
A Kentucky member’s guide to speaking nerves tells contestants that the people they compete against are often in the same boat and that starting a conversation with them can help everyone relax. It adds that FFA is not the Olympics and there is no need to psych out the competition (source).
Building the Team
Nevada advisor Don Noorda lists establishing a strong team dynamic among his keys to success, reminding students to have confidence in one another and their preparation, especially in competition (source). A Nebraska chapter’s national champion meeting-procedure team stayed together from eighth grade, and their advisor called it rare for a group of that size to stay so dedicated to a goal for so long (source).
The National Association of Colleges and Employers defines teamwork as building collaborative relationships toward common goals and lists using personal strengths to complement others and being accountable for individual and team responsibilities among its behaviors (source).
The Officer Who Went to the Door
Gary Swan recalled that after a speaking contest the national president, Kenny McMillan, visited his hotel room to encourage him, an act of care for a competitor who had not won (source). That is a teammate move in a competitive setting.
A Quick Self-Test
| Question | Competitor lean | Teammate lean |
|---|---|---|
| After a loss, my first thought is | What I did wrong | How the team did |
| When a teammate struggles | I focus on my part | I offer to help |
| Credit for a win | I list my contribution | I list everyone’s |
The self-test is this site’s suggestion. Most members lean one way. Knowing your lean is the first step to balancing it.
Questions Readers Ask
Can I be too competitive?
The sources suggest competitiveness is fine with respect and support for others.
What if my team is weaker than I am?
Helping teammates improve is part of what Tom describes. It also makes the team stronger.
Honest Limits
These are testimonials and advice. No source compares competitors and teammates as leaders, and individual events differ in how much teamwork they require.
On this site, Kenny McMillan has a short roster-level page, Gary Swan has a full bio and Hillary Smith was president when the National FFA Center was dedicated. They are linked as context for the national officer team.
Sources
- National FFA Organization: On the Record, Kip Tom (2019)
- National FFA Organization: From Nervous to Confident (2025)
- National FFA Organization: 8 Ways to Conquer Competition Season (2024)
- National FFA Organization: National Team Cultivates Leaders for the Chapter (2024)
- NACE: What Is Career Readiness?
- National FFA Organization: Past National FFA President Commits to Lifetime of Ag Advocacy (2026)