MM: Keep Your Enemies Close

03/28/16

Let’s be honest with ourselves. We all have our perceived enemies in our work field– there is just no way around it. And though some may say that competition is unnecessary when you have a love for the game, we all know that, in the business world, it is competition that drives us. So what are we to do? Well, as the old saying goes–“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer”.

Whether we realize it or not, we can learn a lot from our business foes. Research shows that many points of workplace disagreement come from a deeper seeded desire to be like or dislike what is being disputed. Whether it’s someone who has a unique way of contradicting us on every front or someone who’s passion for what they do is so contagious it’s irritating, the conflicts we face with our enemies usually has a lot more to do with ourselves than we would like to admit.

There is a funny phenomenon that happens when we step back and take a closer look at the root of our disputes– we can actually learn from them. When we embrace our enemies we are given an edge. We can learn from them, what to do and what not to do in the business world and where our own strengths and weaknesses are found– because let’s face it even the best of us still have room to learn and grow. Shifting your perspective to embrace your business enemies, can improve your own passion and drive if you let it– no matter your avenue of success.

So go ahead, admit who your foes are, but then embrace the idea of learning from your conflict– you’ll be better for it and you might just turn that enemy into a strategic partner.

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