A little bit of competition can be both fun and motivating to many; but, when a colleague is constantly competing, this can impact productivity and morale in the workplace.
Competitive colleagues must surpass you, making the simplest contest into a rivalry. Some such colleagues take competition beyond its intended purpose. Not only must they win standard organized matches like sales contests, but they also attempt to turn most other tasks into a clash, purely for the “prize” of coming out ahead.
You might be brainstorming for a solution, with everyone offering possibilities, yet competitive colleagues take it as a personal rejection when their ideas aren’t accepted. By denying them the applause they seek, you become their enemy.
You aren’t aware you’re in a contest, while competitive colleagues feel compelled to keep winning at whatever they do with you, regardless of what it costs them. Deep down, they are afraid they don’t really excel, and so they feel forced to prove to themselves and to you that they are superior. They are saddled with an unnecessary load—the fear that they may not continue being the best. They’re on top of the world when they win, dejected when they don’t. All of this subjects you to a perpetually tense situation.
What You’re Thinking
"We should be pooling our ideas to evolve a faster procedure. I like to match wits with Scarlett because she makes me justify my reasoning, but she’s turning this into some sort of rivalry to make herself shine. She’s trying to get me to say I’m wrong because I don’t do things her way. She must lie awake at night dreaming up schemes to come out looking better than the rest of us."
A Competitor’s Thoughts
"Why did I have to embarrass myself like that? If only I’d worked a little longer, I could have devised a winning plan. I know I can outthink them, but they keep putting me down because they won’t admit I’m smarter than they are. My coworkers pretend to be my friends, but they are standing in the way of my promotion. I have to try harder to wipe them out."
Strategy
Your goal is to restore a friendly atmosphere, so you can enjoy your work without any hostility.
- Be professional and gracious. Give competitors the respect and recognition they desperately seek. In a professional manner, show them that you want to be friendly even though they rebuff you. Allow them to feel important so that they won’t have to run you down to uplift their self-esteem.
- Explain the value of synthesizing. The whole (resulting outcome) is greater than the sum of the parts because when you share your thinking and extract the best thoughts from each of you, you form a new and more valuable combination.
- Be honorable in taking and giving credit. You want credit for your work, and competitive colleagues should get credit for theirs. Don’t allow them to claim as their achievements your efforts or joint efforts. Concentrate on running your own race, not on seeking revenge with dirty tricks of backstabbing.
Tip: If your ego is intact, you can afford to be generous. You can give competitive colleagues the reassurance they need while you are spurred on to greater creativity, matching wits with someone else who’s reaching for a better way.
Copyright© 2022 Amy Cooper Hakim
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June 30, 2022 at 05:46AM
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