Is Workplace Competition Good for You?

It's often said that competition brings the best out in people. This might be true in a boxing match, on a football field, or during a Monopoly throwdown, but what does a head-to-head battle yield in the workplace?

Let's look at each of the four parties involved:

YOU

* Pressure can lead to stress. Just the right amount can be a beautiful thing (i.e., the butterflies in your stomach when you first kissed the girl/guy). But when your competitor turns up the heat and forces you to engage when you're not interested, the stress can become too much. And stress is good friends with anger, which can lead to...

* Misdirected energy. Now, instead of concentrating on work and how you can improve things, you are getting lost in "the game"-how you can best the enemy or take a competitor down. You start to make strategic moves as an individual. Before you know it, it's evident to all that you are "not a team player." However...

* Being pushed to perform can help your personal development, making you worth more beyond the walls of work. It will also keep you busy, and we all know that boredom at work never leads to anything good. You might even surprise yourself with what you are capable of.

How does competition at work affect the competition, the spectator and the organization? Click over to US News and World Report to find out.

Comments

[Dr. Jim Anderson]

Andrew: Yes, workplace competition can be good for you, but only if YOU manage it correctly. The key is to (1) understand that you are engaged in a competitive situation and (2) determine how this competition is going to make you a better person. If you can't do this second part, then you need to get yourself out of the competitive situation...!

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- Dr. Jim Anderson
www.theAccidentalITLeader.com
"Learn What Management Skills You Will Need To Make It To The Next Level In Your Career"

[Andrew G.R.]

Thanks for the comment Dr. Jim! I have a question though...

What if the competition seeks you out at work? You might not want it, but are forced to engage in order to protect territory - or even your job.