In a society where productivity has become almost a religion, Competitive people seem to have more incentives than ever to remain competitive
Taking into account that professional life is increasingly mixed with private life, furthermore, This competitive spirit emerges in all types of situations : trying to capture the attention of someone influential, showing off wealth, when it comes to being the neighbor with the best public image or even when what you want is to compete with others in the number of followers you have on social networks like Instagram.
The result of this is that, today, almost all of us know a good number of competitive people who value outperforming others more than the stimulating effort itself. This can make these people prone to opportunism, manipulation, or even the desire to sacrifice all their work (and that of the people who work with them) to unprofitable projects simply to get ahead of other competitors.
What has been said above makes competitive people much more than the muscle of companies and organizations; They can also be the spark that starts unnecessary conflicts, a source of anxiety about friends and family, and the spreaders of a bad work environment.
Fortunately, There are ways to deal with this type of people so that their most negative side is appeased
An effective way to prevent competitive people from always trying to attract the attention of others is, simply do not reward this type of behavior For example, when in an informal meeting or at a party a person vying for attention is constantly interrupting others and talking about their experiences, tastes and opinions, you can politely ask them not to interrupt and, instead, time, keep the conversation going.
In these cases it is a bad strategy to behave in the same way as the competitive person in question, competing with them in a contest to see which monologue prevails over the other, since this does not break with the logic of competitiveness.
2. Assert yourself
When dealing with competitive people, it is not only important to maintain a framework of relationships favorable to the majority; it is necessary to defend one’s own rights
Therefore, if the arrogance and arrogance of others undermine our dignity, it is good to call for attention so that these types of situations do not repeat themselves and, in the process, order can be maintained. In these cases, assertiveness is the key.
3. Control the work environment
If the negative effects of having a competitive person around are noticeable at work, either because they use unethical tricks to reach their goals or because they set different goals than planned, One of the strategies that can be followed is to intervene directly on the work environment changing the reward or “penalty” system. For example, if the person in question intends to bring others down by hoarding all the performance bonuses, placing limitations on these motivation mechanisms is a very effective solution.
It is important to note that this is a measure with a collective impact, and that it does not only affect the competitive person. However, this fact can also be an advantage, since it is taken as a fair measure that affects everyone equally.
4. Educate in principles of equality
If the competitive person in question is young and is willing to participate in his or her education and training, It is good to make her reflect on the moral values behind her behavior and how they fit into a culture that values equal opportunity. But this is not a task that should be undertaken solely from theory; It can also be taught through the practice of games and group activities in which what matters most is the interest of the group.
In medium and large companies, it is increasingly common to invite all their members to participate in collective games, such as soccer or paintball, for this reason. In this sense, for example, the case of a company located in China that has developed a team of castellers (Catalan tradition) in which its workers can participate to make the most spectacular human towers.
5. Reverse engineering to discover the origin of competitive behavior
Many times there are cases in which people who do not stand out for being competitive They begin to engage in behavioral dynamics of extreme individualism
In these cases it is very possible that a recent change in this person’s daily context has had the effect of this change in attitude. Exploring the reasons for this transformation is one of the ways to manage the way this person affects us and, sometimes, even makes it possible for us to help them.
When you are in a situation that is perceived as dangerous or high risk, One of the first manifestations of the anxiety and fear that this produces is competitive behavior
The fact of not being able to trust anyone means that others are seen as means to an end or, sometimes, as potential threats from which we must protect ourselves. In these cases, communication and establishing agreements with guarantees are very useful to make this defensive attitude not a problem.
