Working with a coworker who is overly competitive can be challenging and frustrating. You may feel like you are constantly being compared, criticized, or undermined by them. However, you don't have to let their behavior affect your performance, morale, or relationships. Here are some tips on how to handle a coworker who is overly competitive in a professional and respectful way.
The first step is to understand why your coworker is acting so competitively. Is it because they are insecure, ambitious, stressed, or motivated by different goals than you? Knowing the source of their behavior can help you empathize with them and avoid taking their actions personally. It can also help you find common ground and communicate more effectively with them.
Competition makes the world go round and keeping hierarchy and culture out of the equation, very easy to say, "embrace it." Your perspective is everything and chances are if you witness the colleague or peer in a positive light, you will learn and prepare yourself and save yourself the stress. You are where you are for a reason, don't undervalue your skillset with another person's drive, especially one on the same team.
Be calm and understand you are doing your best and you do not have to compare yourself with anyone. Upskill yourself whenever possible Don't take others actions personally Be kind and helpful to whomever possible Keep networking
In my experience, Open communication: A private, non-confrontational conversation to express your concerns and seek understanding. Active listening: Understand their perspective, motivations. Collaboration: Emphasize teamwork, shared goals to redirect their competitiveness toward collective success. Set clear boundaries: To prevent their competitiveness affecting the team. Seek mentorship: who can guide them in balancing competition with collaboration. Manager involvement: For mediation and conflict resolution. Lead by example: Demonstrate cooperative behavior, influence a more collaborative workplace culture. Document concerns: Continued dialogue: Maintain open communication, track progress and address any recurring issues.
Sometimes being competitive in work leads you great achievements, but when it comes to overly competitive leads to you lack in mental stability. when a coworker starts being overly competitive it will fall on your work pressure where your boss/lead will start comparing you with the overly competitive coworker and where you starts doubting yourself. the way to handle overly competition is by having a private respectful conversation to express your concerns over their behavior, encourage collaboration and teamwork, emphasizing them about the importance of achieving common goals. set some meaningful boundaries to ensure a fair and competitive work environment.
In the first place, we should understand what it means to have an overly competitive colleague. Perhaps, beforehand, we need to analyze it from each individual's subjective perspective. What might be an extremely high standard of competitiveness for some may not be so for others. Then, and more importantly, we should also consider aspects related to competition at work, inappropriate ways of interacting with colleagues, understanding the underlying reasons for a colleague's behavior, etc. This will reveal crucial insights to act accordingly.
The next step is to set clear and reasonable boundaries with your coworker. You don't have to tolerate their excessive or inappropriate behavior, such as stealing your ideas, taking credit for your work, or sabotaging your projects. You can politely but firmly assert your rights and expectations, and ask them to respect your space and time. You can also document any incidents of conflict or misconduct and report them to your manager or HR if necessary.
This may be tough, but having an open non confrontational conversation with the co-worker could help. Particularly when it is clear that no one is apportioning blame or being disrespectful. The choice of words matter as well when expressing how their behavior is impacting you. But don’t make it all about you, it is more about the team, the convivial work environment and productivity. The coworker should not feel ambushed or singled out. In my experience having this open conversation over coffee in a semi formal setting helps. Also, practice what you wish to say beforehand- don’t ‘wing’ crucial conversations. Finally, leave with an agreement of sorts regarding boundaries and collaboration between both of you.
Love this solution. So many people sit by and suffer someone else’s inappropriate behavior. Professionalism is a requirement, not an option.
It's essential to never lose sight of the fact that if we can't resolve the situation with the colleague or with a superior, there is always the option to distance ourselves from that toxic work environment and choose a new path.
The third step is to focus on your own work and goals, rather than on your coworker's. You can't control how they behave, but you can control how you respond and perform. You can concentrate on your strengths, achievements, and areas of improvement, and seek feedback and support from other colleagues or mentors. You can also celebrate your successes and recognize your contributions, without being boastful or arrogant.
Ultimately, our health is the most important, and engaging in behaviors that can negatively impact us will bring us no benefit, aside from perhaps trying to resolve a situation that is inherently linked to the other individual, which we may be far from capable of doing without their cooperation. Therefore, the analysis to be carried out should be based on our standards of behavior, and with the appropriate perspective, we can navigate this situation and continue our professional journey in an enjoyable, healthy, and positive manner.
Shift your energy to your personal responsibilities and growth. By honing your talents and celebrating your milestones, you can foster a positive self-image and work ethic. This self-assured approach often speaks louder than words and can influence the overall work atmosphere. You may even consider a book on forgiveness becasue we often blame others for how we feel. Forgiveness breeds acceptance and helps us move on from trying to change, minipulate and fix others. The bottom line is that it doesn't work to control others but forgiveness does work for both involved.
The fourth step is to collaborate rather than compete with your coworker. You can try to find ways to work together as a team, rather than as rivals. You can acknowledge their skills and expertise, and ask for their input or assistance on projects that require their strengths. You can also share your knowledge and resources, and offer constructive feedback or praise when appropriate. By doing so, you can build trust and rapport, and demonstrate your professionalism and value.
I feel like we can all learn from each other way. Competition sometimes drive fear. Instead of demonstrating fear, demonstrate admiration and respect by suggesting a collaboration.
Emphasize Collaboration: If possible, try to redirect your coworker's competitive energy into a more collaborative approach. Highlight the benefits of teamwork and how working together can lead to better outcomes for everyone.
In my experience, trying to collaborate is highly beneficial compared to trying to compete. Competition may have potential benefits in the workplace at times, I have found way more positive results with collaboration. In a situation where one person or both are highly competitive, this can become difficult. However, I feel that setting the goal to work collaboratively is even more important.
The fifth step is to manage your emotions when dealing with a coworker who is overly competitive. You may feel angry, resentful, or anxious, but you don't have to let these feelings overwhelm you or affect your work quality or relationships. You can use healthy coping strategies, such as breathing exercises, meditation, or physical activity, to calm yourself down and release stress. You can also seek support from your friends, family, or a counselor, if you need to vent or get advice.
Overly competitive colleagues can create a tense environment, often leading to stress or conflict. By controlling our reactions and emotions, we can prevent escalation and keep interactions positive. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or exercise can be effective in staying calm and focused. Another way is to take a pause in giving a response to anything that feels offensive. By controlling the urge to quickly react, we buy ourselves time to detach our emotions and come up with a rational response
The final step is to choose your battles wisely when handling a coworker who is overly competitive. You don't have to engage in every argument or confrontation that they initiate, as this may only escalate the situation and waste your time and energy. You can pick your battles based on their importance, impact, and potential outcome, and decide whether to ignore, address, or escalate them. You can also use positive language, active listening, and assertive communication skills, to resolve conflicts in a respectful and constructive way.