By: Robert Radi, Ph.D., MBA
April 2021
Highly competitive work environments often reflect the dynamic and complex nature of professional settings. The dog eats dog mindset is entrenched in many organizations, where the measurement of results is conducted in short increments. Make your numbers or get replaced by a new and more efficient human unit is the dehumanizing mantra. You are just as good as your last quarter, or increasingly, your last month. These environments are often fostered by those who believe that conflict among group members is conducive to achieving and sustaining competitiveness. While this belief may have some merits based on the short-term jolt experienced in hyper-competitive environments, the omnipresence of the resulting conflict is as dysfunctional as avoiding conflict. So why is this condition even tolerated?