6 tricks to deal with very competitive people
In a society in which productivity has become almost a religion, competitive people seem to have more incentives than ever to remain so .
Taking into account that professional life is increasingly mixed with private life, in addition, This competitive spirit emerges in all kinds of situations : trying to capture the attention of someone influential, making ostentation of 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 in social networks as Instagram.
The result of this is that, nowadays, almost all of us know a good number of competitive people who value more the fact of overcoming others than the stimulation of the 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 projects that are not very beneficial simply by passing ahead of other competitors.
Ways to deal with competitive people
What has been said above makes competitive people much more than the muscle of companies and organizations; They can also be the spark that initiates unnecessary conflicts, a source of anxiety about friends and family and the propagators of a bad work climate.
Fortunately, there are ways to deal with this type of people so that their most negative side is appeased .
1. Do not let the ego of the other prevail
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 a party a person who competes to attract attention all the time interrupting others and talking about their experiences, tastes and opinions, can be politely asked not to interrupt and, to the Once, make the course of the conversation run its course.
In these cases it is a bad strategy to behave in the same way as the competitive person in question, competing with her in a contest to see which monologue is imposed on the other, since this does not break with the logic of competitiveness.
2. To assert itself
When it comes to dealing with competitive people, it is not only important to maintain a framework of favorable relationships for the majority; it is necessary to defend one's own rights .
Therefore, if the arrogance and arrogance of the other undermine our dignity, it is good to call attention so that such situations are not repeated and, in passing, 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 nearby are noticed at work, either because they use unethical tricks to reach their objectives or because they set different objectives than planned, One of the strategies that can be followed is to intervene directly on the work climate changing the system of rewards or "penalties". For example, if the person in question tries to make others fall by monopolizing all the bonuses for performance, 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 affect only 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 their education and training, It is good to take her to reflect on the moral values behind her behavior and the way in which they fit into a culture that values equal opportunities. But this is not a task that should be undertaken only from the theory; It can also be taught from the practice of games and group activities in which what matters most is the interest of the collective.
In medium and large companies it is increasingly common to invite all its members to participate in collective games, such as football or paintball, for this reason. In this sense, for example, the media attention has been drawn to the case of a company located in China that has developed a team of castellers (Catalan tradition) in which 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 get involved in behavioral dynamics of extreme individualism .
In these cases it is quite possible that a recent change in the daily context of this person has had this change in attitude.Exploring the reasons for this transformation is one of the ways to manage the way in which this person affects us and, at times, even makes it possible for us to help.
6. Managing fear and paranoia
When you are in a situation that is perceived as dangerous or high risk, One of the first manifestations of anxiety and fear that this produces is competitive behavior .
The fact that you can not trust anyone makes you see others as means to an end or, sometimes, as potential threats that must be protected. In these cases, communication and the establishment of agreements with guarantees are very useful to make this defensive attitude not a problem.
