askST Jobs: My colleague and I are up for the same promotion. Can we still work well together?
Employees should avoid undermining colleagues to get ahead.
When colleagues compete for the same promotion, the natural reaction is tension and possible negative feelings for the one who doesn't get the opportunity. To maintain a healthy working relationship, it's crucial to compete for the opportunity, not against the person, as Tan Weixi, managing partner at Workplace Asia, advises. Employees should highlight their unique value and express their aspirations clearly, asking what they need to demonstrate.
Managers must make the selection criteria and decision-making process transparent, so colleagues can understand how the decision was reached and accept an outcome they may not like. Sam Neo, founder of Stories of Asia, suggests that the winner's engagement with the person who missed out is key. If the winner listens and helps the competitor, the post-promotion relationship can remain positive.
Neo also advises new bosses to adopt a different mindset and communicate expectations, as the relationship might initially feel awkward if the promoted colleague becomes the boss of the one they were competing against. Ultimately, organizations should not eliminate competition but create an environment where employees can compete without underminding each other.
By competing for the same prize without turning colleagues into problems, employees can win the opportunity while maintaining strong relationships.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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