It depends on your definition of “win.”
If winning means being better than someone else, then no, everyone cannot win. But if winning means that everyone goes home better than they came, yes, that is definitely possible.
One place where I see the opportunity for this concept is in the idea of a “pitch competition.” Typically, 10-20 participants give a short presentation about their idea. A panel of judges asks some questions and selects a few winners who leave with some prizes.
It’s a great way to encourage people to share ideas, but it’s not a great way to help people launch ventures. Sure, the top three people leave with a little money, but what about the other 17? They get to pitch the idea and maybe they get some helpful questions from the judges, but they are often the ones who need the most help.
What if the event was more of a pitch collaboration? Where everyone could find opportunities to boost up the others knowing that it will come back to them. You could still have a tiered prize system where the best pitches come away with more money. But instead of an all or nothing mentality, the focus would be on pushing everyone’s ideas forward.
At that event, it feels like everyone could win. And the people who would win the original competition could possibly win even more by the relationships and goodwill fostered by everyone in the room.
Think about the games you play and what it means to win.