Why Competition Can Ruin Workplace Collaboration

ABOUT THE EPISODE Can competing against a colleague change your relationship with them long after the competition ends?

Henning Piezunka, Wharton Associate Professor of Management, examines how competition can make people see collaborators as rivals. His research follows professional soccer players who compete against their club teammates during the World Cup, then return to playing alongside them. The results suggest that simply thinking of someone as a competitor can have lasting effects on collaboration.

The conversation explores what this means for promotions, bonuses, office politics and managing teams where people have to compete and collaborate at the same time.

ABOUT THE PODCAST This Week in Business features interviews with Wharton faculty about the latest news, fascinating trends, and issues impacting both consumers and the business world. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School and published twice per week.

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