Whether they’re a known enemy or a silent one waiting to attack at any moment, enemies come in all shapes and sizes.
They’re in our schools, our workplaces, sometimes even our social groups, you just have to be able to sniff them out when they’re in your presence.
I used to work with this girl. Let’s call her Brianna.
At my previous job, I had been working as a stylist there for about a year and a half before Brianna got hired.
Brianna got hired as a manager. A position higher than mine, as well as most of my team.
Originally, I worked with a very well-organized, friendly, close-knit team. The type of team that makes a job as awful as retail somewhat enjoyable.
But when Brianna got hired everything changed.
Not only was she notorious for making rude comments to her coworkers and customers, but she was also a huge rule-stickler and a massive narc.
I’m all for sticking to a set of rules, but I don’t think it’s necessary to call HR on an employee for vaping on their lunch break.
I mean we worked at an outdoor mall for crying out loud, it’s not exactly like it was prohibited.
Not to mention, the coworker she ratted on was someone that took Brianna under her wing when Brianna was hired. I even recall a moment the coworker stating,
“The new girl Brianna is so cool, she’s like the older sister I’ve never had.”
Not even two weeks later, and the coworker finds herself having to defend herself against accusations that her…
In a confrontation with Frankie Pentangeli, one of his bosses, Michael Corleone explains his strategy in dealing with Hyman Roth, providing one of the more famous quotes from the Godfather, Part II. As I considered quotes to use in our Godfather’s Guide to Good Business series, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” was high on my list. As much as I wanted to use the quote, I struggled with how this related to modern business. Contemplating on who would be one’s enemy inside and outside the company, I realized I was looking at this all wrong. Our biggest enemies are not a who, but a what!
One of the most destructive enemies to our businesses and ourselves are negative character traits. I am talking about those traits that subtly work their way into our everyday lives and before we know it become a defining part of our character. If you are not on guard against them, they will corrupt your way of thinking and provide justification for bad decisions. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, three of the biggest culprits are ego, jealousy, and procrastination.
Please do not confuse “confidence” with “ego.” Confidence is a positive and necessary trait for strong leadership, while ego is destructive pride. It is the difference between knowing your mind and having your mind made up even before you have all the facts. People who have an ego think no one can teach them anything and that they have all the answers. Ego kills any chance of learning, which in turn destroys any opportunity for personal growth. And when things inevitably go wrong, ego makes you a victim – because you know it certainly wasn’t your fault.
The difference between confidence and ego is the difference between knowing your mind and having your mind made up.
Jealousy is a trait that is probably not even on your radar, and that is a testament to just how subtle it is. But, let me ask you this – when a friend gets a promotion at work, are you genuinely happy for them? Now I know, you congratulate them and say, "it could not have happened to a nicer guy." But are you truly, down deep in your heart, happy for them even though you claim to be? If not, that is jealousy rearing its ugly head. If you don’t recognize it and deal with it, jealousy produces bitterness, which in turn grows into anger. And we all know how anger clouds our judgment.
Lastly, we come to procrastination and I hesitate to even mention it [pun intended]. Admittedly, it is something I have been guilty of, usually telling myself that more important work needed to be done. Just as “good” is the enemy of “great,” “tomorrow” is the enemy of “today.” Tomorrow is that fictional place where projects get started and paperwork gets finished. Far too often tomorrow never comes.
Maybe you’re thinking, I don’t have to worry about this. I’m a well-grounded, strongly-centered individual – I’m good. Then, you are exactly the person who is in danger of falling to any of these character flaws. If you think this can’t happen to you, trust me when I tell you it can, and in fact you are more susceptible than most. The reason you keep your enemies close is so you can keep an eye on them and be prepared to fight against them when necessary. When you are not watching your enemy is exactly when they can sneak up on you.
[News] Hey you! The one learning a language!
Do you know how to improve your language skills❓ All you have to do is have your writing corrected by a native speaker! With HiNative, you can have your writing corrected by both native speakers and AI 📝✨.
Sign up