How We Make ‘Enemies’ and How to Turn Them Around

The subtle art of influence is often lost in the heat of organizational battles. When interaction becomes strained, the gladiators tend to grab for the nearest “organizational” weapons to arm themselves for battle. There are visions of confrontations, documentation, and out-flanking maneuvers. Yes, there are plenty of difficult people out there, but the best leaders are masters at turning even “enemies” into valuable colleagues.

So, before you blame your “enemy” as the reason you’re not succeeding, it’s important to explore how you too often contribute to making your own enemies. There are three things that contribute to creating an on-the-job “enemy”—an early actual or anticipated negative experience, the resulting distance, and selective scanning.

Negative Experience and Distrance

Any early negative experience that you have with a person can create an impression that colors your future relationship. If the first time you meet someone involves conflict or significant disagreement, you may have a hard time changing your evaluation of that person. It doesn’t even take an actual negative experience; you can anticipate one. You can be warned by another individual—“You may want to keep an eye on Joe. He’s always been a handful!”

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