Do you manage your career to win or not to lose?

For anyone who follows sports you can likely recall games in which a team with the lead changes strategy from focusing on winning to one in which they are trying to avoid losing. It is commonly known as "protecting the lead".

The result is almost always the same . . . they end up losing.

Although I am sure that there are deep rooted psychological reasons for this dynamic, the fact is that when you try not to do something, it becomes an almost impossible task. Maybe it is because it is an exercise in avoidance as opposed to facing and dealing with the possibility of a failure or setback.

Whatever the reason when we play it safe or defensive we are actually playing to not lose as opposed to playing to win.

In terms of your career which one of the above characteristics best describes you?

According to a Harvard Business Review article by Heidi Grant Halvorson and E. Tory Higgins, if you are promotion-focused you are more apt to take risks and therefore usually play to win. The downside of course is that you are more prone to miscues or errors.

Conversely, if you are prevention-focused, while being more thorough and detailed oriented, you are likely risk averse and as the moniker suggests will play not to lose.

For me I believe that the only regrets one will have is related to the chances they did not take. I am not sure if this makes me a play to win guy, but I do know that I will continue with a full court press until the final whistle blows regardless of whether I am ahead or behind. My wife Jennifer is the same way, which makes family game night an interesting adventure to say the least.

This being said, a conservative - avoid risks mindset does have its place in the business world. For example, diligence, discipline and accuracy are essential when it comes to finances or investment strategies. I want to know that the person looking after the corporate coffers or managing my portfolio, is on top of things to the last decimal point.

Based on the above, I don't think that it is a question of which trait is better than the other, but whether or not one's personality-type is properly aligned with their current position. More specifically are you, as executive coach Roz Usheroff put it in her book The Future of You, playing to your strengths .

To be able to play to your strengths Usheroff makes reference to your Genius Hierarchy and in particular knowing and using your unique and excellent abilities.

So if you are in sales or promotions then you definitely want to play to win, and therefore you should possess a promotion-focused view of the world.

If you are as previously mentioned an accountant or insurance actuary, you likely play not to lose. This means that you are, at least according to the HBR article, prevention-focused.

Regardless of your personality profile, here is an interesting question; with what type of person do you prefer to deal?

I am thinking that if I am on the operating table having open heart surgery I would like to have a prevention-focused doctor. If I am looking to score court-side tickets to the 7th Game of the NBA Championship, then having a promotion-focused friend who can get them would be the way to go.

Of course at the end of the day, we might all do a little bit better if we possess the attributes of both a promotion and prevention-focused mindset.

After all, you know what they say about having too much of a good thing!