What Happens When a Queen Fixes Another Queen's Crown?
- Dr. Dawn
- Apr 5, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 12
I love sci-fi, fantasy, and medieval king and queen shows. Medieval or stories about kings and queens that got my attention were Game of Thrones, The Crown, The Tudors, and Reign. I also watched White Queen, The Other Boylan Girl, Duchess, Elisabeth, and Marie Antoinette. It wasn’t the story lines or acting that piqued my interest. I was intrigued by how Queens treated each other. Don’t get me wrong, some of the queens depicted in these shows were ruthless, and backstabbing with cunning ill-intent. However, when it came to respect for the “throne,” or not showing the behavior becoming of a queen, these women checked each other.
I believe women coaches, entrepreneurs, leaders and small business owners are queens. Their businesses, communities and families are their queendom. Likewise, all businesses and positions have their competitors. While no one provides coach services or coach training precisely like me or my company, I understand consumers have options and will exercise their right to choose where they want to invest their money. So, I always appreciate when I am selected over another coach. As such, we must be prudent in knowing who our competitors are and how we compare with them. That’s why I work towards setting the bar, not following it. But, I also recognize that we need standards, our competitors, and each other for support or as a resource. We also need to ensure our industry produces quality output—no matter who a client chooses. So, healthy competition provides that check and balance.
The problem, however, is unhealthy competition. You know, when other coaches or business owners talk negatively about their competitors. Or, when they write bad reviews and try to sabotage another entrepreneur’s success. To me, that’s just bad karma. I don’t believe you must put another business down to build your company up. Your service or product should and will speak for itself. However, I have talked to a few coaches who admitted to seeing mistakes on a coach’s website, exploiting a failure of another business, or sharing fake information—people forget how easy it is to find information or do research online. In several FB and LN groups I belong to, I have observed other coaches allow another coach to struggle as she tries to build her business and find information. This lack of support disturbs me. How could you let another queen walk around with a crooked crown? How does this benefit the consumer, or your business? I repeat, bad juju!
A few years ago, I presented a WOMBinar on “Queens Don’t Let Queens Walk Around with Crooked Crowns.” The focus is on this issue and how to move past competitive entrepreneurial vitriol and develop competitive entrepreneurial compassion. I think it is much more beneficial to build partnerships and alliances than strife and negativity. When you know your service or product is exceptional, there is no worry. And, there is room for us to help the billions of companies and individuals that need us. So, we can show each other more support, happiness, and openness.
I have learned about real-life queens from reading history or watching shows that a queen is always gracious in her court and in the court of another queen. There is no reason for me to hate you or your professional growth. Nevertheless, when you open your mind to see other women entrepreneurs as fellow queens, you create the possibility of working towards complimenting each other and establishing partnerships. We don’t have to fight each other over business. Some clients will gravitate to you, just because you are YOU. Similarly, some clients will be attracted to my brand because I am ME.
Below are a few tips for straightening your crown or another queen's crown. Let me know your thoughts.
Focus more on what makes us exceptional and less on the failures or errors of another business.
Be a supporter, not a saboteur for other business owners by creating opportunities to be allies and partners.
Remember that healthy, compassionate competition is good for everyone, but negative, mean-spirited competition destroys you, the consumer, and the industry.
Speak up when another business owner is misbehaving professionally, displaying poor ethics, or you see a problem with her brand or service, let her know—don’t let her crown remain crooked.
If another entrepreneur comes to you and shares that your “crown is crooked,” be open to hear and learn what you can do to get your crown straight.
Dr. Dawn Reid, PCC, is a personal and professional growth architect who transforms aspiring coaches and leaders through evidence-based, culturally and socially responsive coaching. Using her proprietary PARA™ methodology, and Jasiri Kweli coaching approach, she guides clients to achieve work-life-self harmony, reduce imposter syndrome, and build confidence. As a trusted ICF-accredited coach educator with a 90% credentialing success rate, Dr. Dawn empowers individual transformation and professional coaching excellence. Ready to elevate your purpose? Visit: www.drdawnreid.com
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