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Teamwork and collaboration both play a big role in business success. But in any environment, including during the pandemic, you may still find colleagues that challenge and compete with you. These situations may seem antagonistic and distracting; however, they can also be opportunities to strengthen your skills and advance in your career. That’s why career coaches often encourage clients to embrace workplace competition—such as by following these tips.

5 Career Coach Tips for Facing Workplace Competition

1. Identify the Trigger & Improve

Try to pinpoint the exact reason why your colleague’s actions put you on edge. In many cases, those triggers are related to skills that you don’t feel secure about. Rather than engaging with your competition, you can focus on improving those skills until you regain your confidence at work.

2. Build a Bond

career coachIf a colleague is criticizing or trying to belittle your work, flip the script, and indulge them with kindness.

For example, if they offer a suggestion that sounded a little aggressive, you might respond by saying, “That’s a great idea. Can you help me with it?” This new direction can help them see you as an ally and allow you to form a productive work relationship.

3. Don’t Stoop to Their Level

Sometimes, in competitive situations, it can be tempting to respond in kind to aggression. However, if you don’t respond in the same way as your competitor, they may back off.  Even if they don’t, you’ll still be the professional with the stronger moral compass—a quality that can benefit you if management or HR has to get involved.

4. Set an Example

When competition arises in a group setting, including on virtual calls, it can help to act the way you’d want to be treated. For instance, if your coworker is critical of your contribution to a team project, you can channel that energy into providing another colleague with a compliment. Once your rival sees that you’re more interested in lifting others up, they may change their strategy. No guarantees here, but it is worth trying.

5. Take a Direct Approach

If your competition isn’t letting up, let them know how their actions have impacted you and how you’d like to be treated. If that doesn’t work, avoid talking about the issue with coworkers and go directly to your supervisor to get guidance on how you should respond.

 

Learning how to overcome competition is one of many strategies for achieving professional growth. That’s why Margaret M. Enloe, Esq. is committed to providing personalized assistance to each client. Serving professionals in Manhattan, NY, this career coach and experienced lawyer will work with you one-on-one to identify your goals and form a plan to achieve them. Through her approach, you’ll gain more confidence and be able to tackle challenges without hesitation. To learn more about this life and career consultant, visit her website or e-mail me@margaretenloe.com.

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