How managers can handle workplace rivalries

When colleagues are caught up in a rivalry, it is best not to let them work on the same team. — dpa

Competition is good for business, it’s often said.

While workplace rivalry can indeed motivate some employees to perform better, in some cases, the exact opposite happens.

It becomes harder to concentrate on the job, resulting in increased stress, long periods of time off work, and even being laid off.

“Distrust, resentment and hostility are key,” explains Timo Mueller, director of the Institute for Conflict Management and Leadership Communication in Germany.

“A lot of times, a rivalry is more than just a friendly power struggle.

“It goes back to an unresolved conflict, or even several conflicts.

”If this is the case, he says, it’s important for the team lead to be close enough to the team to recognise the problem early on and take action accordingly.

But what exactly can be done?

Instead of asking the two parties to simply settle the dispute, it’s important to get each side talking and to discuss the cause of the conflict.

“However, many team leads have not been trained for this,” says Mueller.

If this is the case, it might make sense to offer training or look for external support.

Alternatively, you can try to separate the rivals and put them on different teams.

This is the approach taken by Anke Sommer, head of an institute in Germany for coaching, teams and development.

“Having your own sphere of influence eliminates the need for workplace turf wars,” she says.

“Nobody feels threatened and everyone can concentrate on their strengths.

”The general rule of thumb is: A team is more successful when its individual members have different skills and strengths.

“They can complement each other instead of trying to outdo each other,” she says.

But how can you find out what your strengths are?

More often than not, it’s the qualities you don’t even think of as skills.

“It’s often the things for which you have been praised as a child.

“Things that are so easy for you that you take them for granted,” Sommer explains.

When it comes to rivalries, it’s always lose-lose.

“The very nature of competition means it’s not very effective, as there are always one or more losers,” she says.

Instead, it’s better to focus on complementing and improving as cornerstones for the workplace.

In addition, a good team lead should know employees’ strengths and weaknesses, and use this knowledge when forming working groups or onboarding new members.

Many conflicts could be prevented this way.

But what if rivalry seems inevitable, e.g. in the race for an open management position?

Here too, the team lead plays an important role, says Mueller.

They need to make fair and transparent competition possible.

“This is done by clearly communicating from the get-go how a position will be awarded and what skills are required.

”Only then can you ensure that competition for a position is carried out in an objective manner and not based on personal feelings. – By Sophia Reddig/dpa