The leaderboard is one of the most common diagrams we use to measure the best and the worst. 

Whether it’s, “Top five, dead or alive,” or “Stack ranking,” we use rankings as a way to make decisions. 

Unfortunately, with letter grades and awards, we’re also the constant subject of rankings; so much so that we can’t stop ranking ourselves. 

Who has the newer car? The nicer business card? The higher room on the hotel floor? The front of the aircraft? The fastest route to promotion? The biggest funding round? The smarter decision with business or travel plans?

Rankings have gotten out of control, and we need to find better ways of relating with each other.