Competition at work
The Story:
A man has a boss who strongly thinks he knows better…
This man is an operating manager in a large company, and has had a lot of experience in his field. Still, his boss interferes in his work, and on many occasions contradicts him and gives instructions resulting in outcomes which are "not good enough" and need to be re-done.
According to our teller, the evidence shows again and again that the boss is less qualified and the results would be better if he just didn’t interfere.
The Question:
How is it that I attract this person into my life? The fact is, when he was appointed to this job by the board, I was already in this job for few years. I had no influence on this appointment.
Analysis:
What do you see in the Mirror?
This person:
He needs to show his authority and his higher position in the hierarchy.
He is looking around to find things to criticize.
He is arrogant.
He needs to prove that he is better.
This story shows us a different angle of the survival attitude through life as in Case Study No.1. However, in this case we have competition between two males over dominancy and control. This is the "automatic pilot" for those two men (like attracts like), fighting for dominance, to mark their territory, to be number one.
Conclusion & Action:
To say that since the official hierarchy puts the newcomer boss in higher position, the trigger for the agressive competition from the boss' side is no other than our storyteller who is threatenning his aothority. The reflection in this case is almost one-to-one, They both have a similar attitude. It brings out our story teller ‘dominant male attitude’ in life, probably not only in the workplace, and he can decide if he wants to keep the jungle life…
I have to admit that to ask a "jungle tiger" to become a nice friendly domestic Cat is almost impossible, even if one could offer him heaven. He just can't see the world this way and he probably stays a tiger and will perpetuate the jungle reality.
Nevertheless, I must offer him the possibility to be aware and make a concsious decision.
What could help him at work is to change his approach and accept his boss's authority and stop showing him that he knows better, that the boss is unnecessary, and it would be better without him … If he could do so, it will act like a miracle and reduce the tension and clear the atmosphere.
