{"id":72925,"date":"2022-07-18T13:04:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T17:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=72925"},"modified":"2022-07-27T12:20:42","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T16:20:42","slug":"unhealthy-competition-in-the-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/unhealthy-competition-in-the-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing With Unhealthy Competition in the Workplace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Is your organization rife with ladder-climbing sharks? Are people working together or against each other?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <em>Tribal Leadership<\/em>, Stage 3 is the most common work culture, and it\u2019s where most professionals spend much of their careers. Stage 3 features shark-like competition, office politics, and high-powered professionals striving to dominate their workplaces. Authors Dave Logan, Halee Fischer-Wright, and John King explain how to determine whether your organization is in Stage 3 and how to progress to Stage 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to understand unhealthy competition in the workplace and to learn how to move your organization beyond it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stage-3-the-competitive-workplace\">Stage 3: The Competitive Workplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Stage 3 is the most common of the stages. This is the domain of \u201clone warriors,\u201d where big egos jockey for power and personal accomplishment. We\u2019ll explain Stage 3 key markers\u2014values, language, and relationships\u2014and we\u2019ll describe how to coach individuals from Stage 3 to Stage 4. Last, we\u2019ll detail how Stage 3 individuals can become tribal leaders by realizing the value of Stage 4 and tribal cooperation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stage 3 individuals want to win, and they excel at climbing the ladder of accomplishment. They\u2019re lifelong high-achievers who\u2019ve always strived to be at the top of the class, get the best recommendations, and surpass their coworkers. However, the authors explain that, <strong>beneath the ambitious exterior, each Stage 3 individual fears that he isn\u2019t quite the best<\/strong>. Because he feels insecure about his accomplishments, he hides his weaknesses behind a veneer of self-reliant competence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because Stage 3 individuals are highly individualistic, Stage 3 <em>tribes <\/em>don\u2019t form explicitly. Instead, Stage 3 <em>culture<\/em> prevails: the tense atmosphere of unhealthy competition in the workplace, dominated by office politics and ego-centered sharks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Is the Competitive Workplace Vanishing?<\/strong><br><br>While the authors\u2019 description of a competitive, political workplace is familiar to many, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.vantagecircle.com\/collaborative-workplace\/\">recent trends suggest that collaboration is taking over<\/a>. With the coming-of-age of the millennial workforce\u201488% of whom report they prefer collaboration over competition\u2014the competitive, individualistic workplace captured in shows like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0804503\/\"><em>Mad Men<\/em><\/a> is declining.&nbsp;<br><br>Today\u2019s workers prefer transparency, accountability, and a clear sense of how they fit into the team, as well as flexibility in their working hours and location. This is because to the millennial employee, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/sarahlandrum\/2016\/12\/30\/how-millennials-are-changing-how-we-view-success\/?sh=68ff806e3b94\">happiness and overall fulfillment matter more than career success<\/a>.&nbsp;<br><br>Given that the competitive workplace is in decline, the authors\u2019 model might need an update: They argue that no individual can skip a stage, but many millennials might be jumping right to Stage 4, where teamwork is the norm. If this is the case, then Stage 3 might not be a concrete reality so much as a temporary cultural phase in an ever-changing work culture.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-three-key-markers-of-stage-3\">Three Key Markers of Stage 3<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marker #1: Personal accomplishment trumps all else. <\/strong>Stage 3 individuals play to win. They feel driven by personal accomplishment, and they tend to strive for increasing power and prestige. The authors emphasize two aspects of this marker:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Aspect #1: Egocentric values\u2014<\/strong>A Stage 3 individual talks about values, but about <em>his<\/em> values. In his view, values are what <em>he<\/em> sees as important, and he may be oblivious to other people\u2019s values. As such, he fails to appeal to <em>shared <\/em>values and, by pushing his own values on his coworkers, he causes disharmony rather than creating unity.<\/li><li><strong>Aspect #2: The belief that \u201cyou get what you work for\u201d\u2014<\/strong>Stage 3 individuals believe that if you work hard, you\u2019ll reap the benefits\u2014for example, becoming a doctor or CEO. If you\u2019re lower down the ladder, it\u2019s your own fault\u2014you couldn\u2019t be bothered to work for something better.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In accord with their individualistic values, <strong>Stage 3 individuals work harder than most others and tend to succeed in their fields<\/strong>. But they also see most colleagues as inferior, and this prevents them from seeking support when they need it. Because of this, they often feel perpetually overworked and under-supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>The \u201cOrange\u201d Value Meme<\/strong><br><br>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Spiral-Dynamics-Mastering-Values-Leadership\/dp\/1405133562\"><em>Spiral Dynamics<\/em><\/a>, Don Beck and Chris Cowan describe an \u201corange\u201d value meme that corresponds to <em>Tribal Leadership<\/em>\u2019s Stage 3. At the orange value meme, <a href=\"https:\/\/spiraldynamicsintegral.nl\/en\/orange\/\">individuals are driven by a desire to improve themselves<\/a>, accumulate material rewards, and to use rational, strategic thinking to dominate and win. Beck and Cowan argue that \u201corange\u201d originates from Ancient Greece, where the first stirrings of individualism, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-rational-thought\/\">rational thought<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/virtuous-life\/\">virtuous living<\/a> began.&nbsp;<br><br>In the workplace, Stage 3 individuals can be antagonistic and difficult. At the same time, the ambitious individual is an important modern phenomenon: People weren\u2019t always so willing to reach above their peers and accomplish more, and this very ambition drives productive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/types-of-competition-in-business\/\">business competition<\/a> and innovation. In turn, this led to the world of luxuries and sophisticated technologies that the West enjoys today\u2014which, while not without problems, is a form of progress.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marker #2: Egocentric language. <\/strong>According to the authors, Stage 3 individuals put the focus on themselves, using language that highlights their views, ideas, and accomplishments. A Stage 3 individual might say, \u201cThat\u2019s wrong, let <em>me<\/em> try,\u201d or, \u201c<em>I <\/em>know best.\u201d This occurs both in formal work settings and among Stage 3 peers in casual situations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>In formal settings: <\/strong>The authors assert that Stage 3 individuals jockey for the spotlight in meetings, each pushing their own opinions while disregarding others\u2019. Imagine a board meeting with a handful of individuals who think they have it right, and they all argue unproductively or seek to undermine each other.<\/li><li><strong>In casual settings: <\/strong>Stage 3 individuals banter and deprecate one another\u2014each nonchalantly puts down the others and emphasizes his own accomplishments. Imagine a group of lawyers bragging in turn about their most recent victories\u2014\u201cSure, you won that small-time tax fraud case, but remember when I took down those board members who embezzled $15 million?\u201d&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/ego-is-the-enemy\"><em>Ego Is the Enemy<\/em><\/a>, Ryan Holiday argues that an overactive ego hinders real success. But because many famous, successful people have large egos, we\u2019ve come to think that ego and success go hand-in-hand. This is wrongheaded, and Holiday recommends instead learning to control your reactive, emotional ego. To do so, he advises that you <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/ego-is-the-enemy#stop-talking-about-yourself\">stop talking and thinking so much about yourself<\/a> and focus instead on taking decisive, effective <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-take-action-on-your-goals\/\">action toward your goals<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marker #3: One-to-one relationships. <\/strong>To defend and further his ambitions, the Stage 3 individual relies on gossip and spies to gain information and win in office politics. As the authors explain, this is especially true If he feels that his position is insecure, and he\u2019ll do whatever it takes to maintain his power. To do this, he uses several tactics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Tactic #1: He creates one-on-one relationships.<\/strong> The Stage 3 individual uses two-person relationships with individuals lower down the company ladder. These spies gather gossip, dirt, and other intel that help him stay on top of office politics. He manages these relationships with charisma, manipulation, and\/or bribery.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Tactic #2: He prevents his spies from meeting each other.<\/strong> To keep his position secure, he makes sure that none of his spies know each other. According to the authors, this helps him keep tight control of the information that comes to him.<\/li><li><strong>Tactic #3: He avoids meetings if possible. <\/strong>Since his spies don\u2019t know each other, and because he has a lot of information to keep under wraps, the Stage 3 individual tries to avoid situations where his intel could come to light, such as through uncareful conversation in a meeting.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The downside of all this, the authors say, is that the<strong> <\/strong>Stage 3 individual spends a ton of energy to stay on top of these relationships and the information each person delivers. With too many spies, he risks mixing up what he\u2019s said and to whom\u2014as well as what he\u2019s <em>heard<\/em> and from whom. In addition, keeping his spies separate can make him feel isolated and disconnected, which may drop him to Stage 2. Meanwhile, he\u2019s often blind to the situation he\u2019s created.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Power Play and Avoiding Manipulation<\/strong><br><br>In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-48-laws-of-power\/1-page-summary\"><em>The 48 Laws of Power<\/em><\/a>, Robert Greene argues that the game of power-seeking constantly goes on around us, and there\u2019s no way to opt out of playing. Given this, you can either remain a pawn or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-master-anything\/\">become a master<\/a> player. Greene breaks down an extensive collection of tactics that power-seekers often use, many of which hinge on deceiving the people around you. Greene\u2019s rules span several themes:<br><br><strong>Adopt a power mindset<\/strong>: Learn to think strategically and expect manipulators.<br><br><strong>Communicate with power<\/strong>: Learn to sense people\u2019s emotions and how persuasion works.<br><br><strong>Enhance your power<\/strong>: Learn to act in your own interests while concealing your plans.<br><br><strong>Act decisively<\/strong>: Learn how to crush others\u2019 power and act on opportunities.<br><br><strong>Avoid pitfalls<\/strong>: Guard yourself against counterplay and maintain your position.<br><br>While you might not want to play this Stage 3 game, knowing the laws can help you recognize manipulative people and avoid their machinations. Study the rules in-depth to learn how power players think. Then, you\u2019ll be able to recognize when someone in your life is maneuvering for power and, if necessary, prevent them from harming you.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-stagnant-stage-3-individuals-can-create-stage-2-cultures\">Stagnant Stage 3 Individuals Can Create Stage 2 Cultures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the authors, <strong>individuals can get stuck at Stage 3\u2014stuck in the tense, power-seeking dynamics of office politics. <\/strong>These individuals are often managers or bosses, and they often feel superior to their direct reports. As such, they treat lower-level employees with contempt or disrespect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such a Stage 3 boss treats his employees poorly because he also feels replaceable and unappreciated\u2014but he\u2019s oblivious to his behavior. Further, he might drive Stage 2 individuals backward by treating them poorly. For example, the authors suggest that he might lower someone\u2019s pay without telling them, or gradually push them out of office social life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: In <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/leadership-and-self-deception\"><em>Leadership and Self-Deception<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-anatomy-of-peace-by-the-arbinger-institute\/\">the Arbinger Institute<\/a> calls this state of dumping your stresses on others being \u201cin the box.\u201d In other words, you know how to behave better but take the easier route of <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/leadership-and-self-deception#being-in-the-box-distorts-your-view-of-reality\">blaming someone else for the problem<\/a>. An individual stuck \u201cin the box\u201d will <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/leadership-and-self-deception#self-betrayal\">justify his behavior<\/a> by rationalizing or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stop-making-excuses\/\">making excuses<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This sort of boss also tends to hire Stage 2 individuals, because candidates who could surpass him in ambition or ability threaten his ego and his position. This allows him to dominate his office, but it exacerbates his feelings that there\u2019s nobody competent to help him out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors explain that this kind of Stage 3 individual hasn\u2019t fully overcome Stage 2. Deeper down, he still feels that his life sucks. To overcome this, he needs to overcome any feelings of powerlessness that perpetuate his mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The Arbinger Institute also explains in <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/leadership-and-self-deception\"><em>Leadership and Self-Deception<\/em><\/a> that individuals stuck \u201cin the box\u201d see other people as problems, rather than humans. This explains why a Stage 3 individual hires unthreatening candidates\u2014to reduce any future \u201cproblems\u201d that person might cause for him. The Arbinger Institute recommends overcoming this limitation by <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/leadership-and-self-deception#how-to-get-out-of-the-box\">recognizing that everyone is human<\/a>, and that we all have needs deserving of fair consideration.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-surmount-stage-3-before-moving-on\">Surmount Stage 3 Before Moving On<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the authors, Stage 3 players inevitably hit a wall that they can\u2019t overcome. Sheer willpower and individualistic ambition take them far, but to move beyond that wall they must learn to play on a team. The upside is that such individuals have proven themselves in the crucible of Stage 3. They\u2019ve paid their dues and spent their time working hard and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-develop-skills-2\/\">developing skills<\/a>, strength, and experience\u2014qualities that will matter at Stage 4, too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, Stage 3 veterans thoroughly understand how Stage 3 works: its benefits, the challenging terrain, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/competitive-mindset\/\">competitive spirit<\/a> needed to win. By fully \u201cowning\u201d Stage 3, they ready themselves to move on to Stage 4, where they\u2019ll repurpose the positive parts of Stage 3 and leave behind the negative parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The authors stop short of explaining <em>how<\/em> an individual can own Stage 3. However, the solution may be as easy as engaging in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-self-reflect\/\">self-reflection<\/a>, a key meta-cognitive skill that enables you to understand your internal experiences\u2014thoughts and emotions\u2014so you can make sense of them and improve your conduct. Gregg Henriques, a psychologist and director at James Madison University, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/theory-knowledge\/201609\/self-reflective-awareness-crucial-life-skill\">recommends using the C.A.L.M. framework<\/a>: Approach your inner experience with Curiosity, Acceptance, Love, and the Motivation to grow. Over time, this helps you develop a coherent narrative of your internal experience and better <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-understand-yourself\/\">understand yourself<\/a>, which can contribute to moving past Stage 3 behaviors that hinder <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-grow-as-a-person\/\">personal growth<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-paths-to-stage-4-recognize-the-power-of-tribes\">Paths to Stage 4: Recognize the Power of Tribes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors describe two paths from Stage 3 to Stage 4: from late Stage 3 to Stage 4 tribal leadership, or from Stage 3 individual ambition to Stage 4 teamwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-path-1-three-insights-produce-tribal-leaders\">Path #1: Three Insights Produce Tribal Leaders<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors explain that <strong>to become a tribal leader, you first need to reach Stage 4 yourself<\/strong>. They describe three insights that lead to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-understand-anything-deeply\/\">deeper understanding<\/a> of Stage 3, Stage 4, and tribal leadership:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Insight #1: Realize that Stage 3 success is merely individual. <\/strong>Aspiring tribal leaders realize that individualistic ambition merely serves the individual. Consequently, they see that Stage 3 doesn\u2019t afford them real power or the ability to have a lasting impact.<\/li><li><strong>Insight #2: Realize that Stage 3 can\u2019t solve its own limitations. <\/strong>You can\u2019t solve Stage 3 problems with Stage 3 methods. An individual who tries to fix the problems caused by excessive individualism with <em>more<\/em> tenacious, driven individualism hasn\u2019t understood the problem.<\/li><li><strong>Insight #3: Realize that the tribe is what really matters.<\/strong> After seeing that Stage 3 leaves no lasting impact, and that it can\u2019t solve its own problems, aspiring tribal leaders tend to realize that what they really want is to serve a greater mission. Often, this means giving back to the world\u2014usually by serving the tribe they thought they\u2019d been helping.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Once an aspiring tribal leader realizes these insights, she\u2019ll often begin to <\/strong><strong><em>listen<\/em><\/strong><strong> more than she talks, <\/strong>the authors say<strong>.<\/strong> By listening to tribe members and getting to know the tribe, she builds toward Stage 4, where people work as a united whole. As the tribe recognizes her burgeoning leadership, they\u2019ll begin to support and empower her. In turn, she begins to live in service of her tribe.<strong> <\/strong>Ultimately, she recognizes that <strong>real success is tribal success<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Overcoming Developmental Plateaus<\/strong><br><br>While the authors don\u2019t describe precisely how to realize these insights, the process likely involves engaging in the inner work of reflecting on your experiences, examining your strategies, and reworking your approach to work. One principle that can help is \u201ctranscend and include,\u201d which describes how one developmental stage progresses to the next.<br><br>Ken Wilber, a prominent intellectual, writer, and founder of the Integral Institute, contends that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kenwilber.com\/Writings\/PDF\/SummaryofMyPsychologicalModel_GENERAL_2000_NN.pdf\">any stage of development must \u201ctranscend and include\u201d the former stage<\/a>. In other words, it preserves the structures of the earlier, simpler stage, and transcends it by organizing those structures to give rise to a more complex structure. For instance, molecules transcend and include atoms; cells transcend and include molecules; and organisms, such as humans, transcend and include cells.<br><br>A corollary of this pattern is that the strengths of each stage also act as limitations, and Stage 3 follows this principle: Its ambitious individualism is its greatest strength and its biggest limitation. This creates a \u201cdevelopmental plateau,\u201d or a point beyond which it\u2019s difficult to go. To transcend and include, realize that \u201cwhat got you here won\u2019t get you there\u201d\u2014that is, your current behaviors constitute a particular strategy that works up to a certain point. Beyond that point, you\u2019ll need to adapt by examining what\u2019s limiting you and consciously changing your behaviors.&nbsp;<br><br>From this angle, the <em>Tribal Leadership<\/em> insights describe a process of realizing that the underlying logic of Stage 3\u2014its values and the strategy they give rise to\u2014serves only certain ends (individual achievement). To grow beyond Stage 3, examine this logic as well as that of Stage 4, and you\u2019ll come to see <em>why<\/em> Stage 3 falls short, and how to transcend it.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-path-2-lone-warrior-to-team-player\">Path #2: Lone Warrior to Team Player<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To coach an individual from Stage 3 to Stage 4, the authors recommend several tactics. They include encouraging three-person relationships, emphasizing teamwork, and demonstrating the inherent limitations of Stage 3. As before, leaders should work one-on-one with Stage 3 individuals who\u2019ve started to realize the limitations of Stage 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Tactic #1: Get candid feedback:<\/strong> Often, the Stage 3 individual is oblivious to the effects of his own behavior. To break this illusion, encourage him to receive specific, candid feedback from his subordinates and peers.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Tactic #2: Encourage three-person relationships: <\/strong>By communicating transparently and forming open, three-person relationships, the authors assert that the Stage 3 individual will break the habit of hoarding information and learn to build connections instead of creating relationship silos.<\/li><li><strong>Tactic #3: Assign teamwork: <\/strong>Given a task that requires him to work in a team, a Stage 3 individual can begin to see that everyone is valuable in their own ways, and that teamwork is more effective than individual action.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Tactic #4: Connect them with a Stage 4 mentor: <\/strong>The authors explain that a mentor can help the Stage 3 individual to see how he behaves and help him to adopt healthier Stage 4 behaviors.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Tactic #5: Demonstrate the limitations of Stage 3.<\/strong> Since <em>results<\/em> matter most to the Stage 3 individual, emphasize that Stage 4 performs more effectively than Stage 3. With the Stage 3 strategy\u2014pushing yourself to the limit\u2014individuals hit a wall that they can\u2019t surpass. Emphasize that effective teamwork takes you beyond that wall, since a strong team can accomplish much more than a single individual.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Develop a Coaching Toolkit<\/strong><br><br>Throughout <em>Tribal Leadership<\/em>, the authors offer a variety of coaching tactics, yet they don\u2019t organize them into a coaching <em>framework<\/em>. To do so, consider that you don\u2019t necessarily need a system\u2014a prescribed set of steps\u2014so much as you can gather a variety of tools and techniques into a coaching toolkit. Then, you can pick the right tool for the job each time you need to coach someone and you can continually add techniques instead of relying on a single approach.&nbsp;<br><br>One such approach you can add is that of <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/radical-candor\"><em>Radical Candor<\/em><\/a>, in which author Kim Scott argues that managing relationships is a boss\u2019s main job. She offers two principles:<br><br><strong>Care personally<\/strong>: Get to know your employees as people, not just workers, so that you see them as humans rather than \u201cproblems\u201d that need solving.<br><br><strong>Challenge directly: <\/strong>People often need a firm hand or nudge to keep them moving forward, and this means not shirking tough conversations or feedback sessions. In the end, directness\u2014even when not \u201cnice\u201d\u2014helps people improve.<br><br>The key to radical candor is <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/radical-candor#building-trusting-relationships-with-radical-candor\">balancing these two<\/a> principles. Together, they help you give your employees \u201ctough love\u201d\u2014that is, you give them caring support while also maintaining firm and fair expectations for their improvement.<br><br>You can also use Scott\u2019s principles alongside those of <em>Tribal Leadership<\/em>. For instance, you might use <em>caring personally<\/em> to develop a relationship with a Stage 3 tribe member and help him reflect on the limits of his behavior. Then, you could <em>challenge him directly<\/em> by asking him to take on what\u2019s tough for him\u2014such as engaging in teamwork or building transparent, communicative relationships.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors describe three changes that mark a successful shift to Stage 4:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Change #1: A shift to team-focused language.<\/strong> The Stage 3 individual will begin to credit his team with his successes and talk about how his success is only possible because of their hard work.<\/li><li><strong>Change #2: Stronger relationships. <\/strong>He\u2019ll recognize the advantages of three-person relationships, and he\u2019ll begin to build a stronger network. Instead of keeping information siloed and secret, he\u2019ll share more openly and build genuine connections.<\/li><li><strong>Change #3: Increased effectiveness. <\/strong>As the Stage 3 individual embraces teamwork and the power of networks, he\u2019ll begin to achieve more with less personal effort. He\u2019ll work fewer hours but accomplish more, and he\u2019ll stop saying that he feels overworked and unsupported. According to the authors, he&#8217;ll deliver 30% better results.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Getting Your Team to Stage 4 Is Crucial<\/strong><br><br>As the authors imply, it\u2019s crucial to upgrade your tribe to Stage 4 <em>before<\/em> trying to create a collaborative culture. This is because<strong> <\/strong>while collaboration <em>can<\/em> improve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/workplace-productivity\/\">workplace productivity<\/a> and success, there are right and wrong ways to create a collaborative culture.<br><br>Namely, you can\u2019t create such a culture just by making collaboration the new policy. Unless you help people see the value of teamwork first, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/geoffrey-james\/collaboration-creates-mediocrity-not-excellence-according-to-science.html\">people may not actually adopt that value or collaborate effectively<\/a>. Instead, you risk creating a culture where mediocre employees ostracize more ambitious employees:<br><br>While everyone is seen as an equal contributor to a team effort, some employees will naturally work harder than others.<br><br>If these employees are still at Stage 2 or 3, they might undermine or sabotage the harder worker, seeing her as a threat or outsider.<br><br>In turn, this can demotivate your more ambitious employees and cause stress.<br><br>Put another way, you can\u2019t create a culture by planning it top-down. Rather, as the authors describe, a leader helps to grow a culture by helping her people to see the value of teamwork and tribal unity. This will create a genuine Stage 4 culture, whereas mandating collaboration won\u2019t work.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-exercise-plan-how-to-coach-your-tribe-members\">Exercise: Plan How to Coach Your Tribe Members<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As the authors explain, a tribal leader upgrades her tribe by coaching one tribe member at a time. To practice your understanding of the techniques, plan how you could implement their coaching methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>First, recall the two key coaching opportunities: helping a tribe member upgrade her language and her relationships to the next Stage. When coaching a tribe member at Stage 2, what kind of language would you encourage her to adopt? List a few changes you could help her make\u2014for instance, shifting away from commiserating language.<\/li><li>Continuing with the second coaching opportunity, how could you help that Stage 2 individual upgrade her relationships? Think of how to move beyond Stage 2\u2019s tenuous relationships, and consider a few individuals that might support her growth toward Stage 3.<\/li><li>Next, consider how you could coach a Stage 3 individual to Stage 4. The authors recommend helping Stage 3 individuals learn the value of teamwork and collaborative relationships. What kind of work could you assign to a Stage 3 individual to help him work toward Stage 4? Briefly reflect.<\/li><li>The authors also recommend mentoring, since mentors can model effective Stage 4 behavior. Last, think about who in your organization might make a good mentor for Stage 3 individuals\u2014someone who values open communication and respectful relationships. Briefly, how might you work with this person (if it\u2019s not you) to coach Stage 3 individuals with the <em>Tribal Leadership<\/em> methodology?<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is your organization rife with ladder-climbing sharks? Are people working together or against each other? According to Tribal Leadership, Stage 3 is the most common work culture, and it\u2019s where most professionals spend much of their careers. Stage 3 features shark-like competition, office politics, and high-powered professionals striving to dominate their workplaces. Authors Dave Logan, Halee Fischer-Wright, and John King explain how to determine whether your organization is in Stage 3 and how to progress to Stage 4. Keep reading to understand unhealthy competition in the workplace and to learn how to move your organization beyond it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":72928,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,14,30],"tags":[690],"class_list":["post-72925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career","category-management","category-work","tag-tribal-leadership","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Dealing With Unhealthy Competition in the Workplace - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Unhealthy competition in the workplace is characterized by a &quot;playing to win&quot; attitude and a lack of teamwork. Here&#039;s how to move past it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/unhealthy-competition-in-the-workplace\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Dealing With Unhealthy Competition in the Workplace\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Unhealthy competition in the workplace is characterized by a &quot;playing to win&quot; attitude and a lack of teamwork. 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