Overcoming Personal Rivalries Through Professional Achievements – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1153

Overcoming Personal Rivalries Through Professional Achievements – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1153

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1153 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here.

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Preamble

In professional life, rivalry is almost inevitable. Human beings are competitive by nature, and when multiple people with ambition, talent, and determination come together in the workplace, comparisons and competition naturally arise. Healthy competition can be a source of motivation, spurring individuals to push boundaries, sharpen skills, and improve results. However, personal rivalries, where competition turns into hostility or enmity can become destructive, not only for those directly involved but also for their colleagues, teams, and organizations.

Rivalries can get dirty. They may involve backbiting, undermining, manipulation, or outright conflict. They drain energy, sour relationships, and distract from meaningful goals. Yet, one of the most powerful ways to rise above such rivalries is to focus on professional achievements. By prioritizing growth, excellence, and contribution, individuals can reclaim control over their careers, reduce the negative grip of rivalry, and transform competition into an opportunity for personal and professional advancement.

This blogpost explores the nature of personal rivalries at work, the risks they pose, and how professional achievements serve as the best path to overcome them.

The Nature of Personal Rivalries

Personal rivalries differ from healthy professional competition. While healthy competition motivates individuals to perform better, personal rivalries are rooted in emotions such as envy, resentment, insecurity, or ego. They are less about doing better work and more about defeating the other person.

Some common triggers of personal rivalries include:

• Unequal recognition: One colleague consistently receives praise while another feels overlooked.

• Promotions and rewards: Competing for the same position or incentives creates tension.

• Clashes of personality: Differences in values, styles, or communication may escalate into personal animosity.

• Perceived unfairness: Favoritism, bias, or politics in the workplace fuel rivalry.

• Past interactions: An unresolved conflict or old resentment becomes a festering rivalry.

When rivalry takes root, it can spill into toxic behavior; rumors, sabotage, passive-aggressive communication, or open hostility. Instead of striving for excellence, individuals become preoccupied with outdoing or undermining the rival.

Why Personal Rivalries Are So Dangerous

Personal rivalries can appear trivial at first, but their impact is disproportionately large.

1. Loss of focus: Time and mental energy spent on rivalry could be used for work, innovation, or learning.

2. Toxic culture: Rivalries divide teams, create factions, and poison collaboration.

3. Missed opportunities: Obsession with beating someone else blinds individuals to opportunities for growth and collaboration.

4. Damaged reputation: Colleagues and leaders notice hostile behavior. Rivalries can tarnish credibility and trust.

5. Personal toll: Constant tension causes stress, anxiety, and even burnout.

Left unchecked, personal rivalries can derail promising careers.

Professional Achievements: The Healthier Route

The antidote to personal rivalry is professional achievement. Instead of letting competition turn personal, individuals can channel their drive into meaningful work, excellence, and contribution. This shift changes the narrative: from “How do I defeat my rival?” to “How do I become the best version of myself?”

Here’s why focusing on professional achievements works so well:

1. It reframes energy: Rivalries consume emotional energy. Professional goals redirect that energy into productive channels—learning new skills, finishing projects, innovating solutions.

2. It builds credibility: Recognition based on real achievements outweighs petty rivalries. Others respect results more than drama.

3. It creates long-term wins: Achievements add to one’s portfolio and reputation. Rivalries fade, but accomplishments remain.

4. It restores control: In rivalry, energy is tied to another person’s actions. In achievement, success depends on one’s own effort.

5. It inspires others: Rising above rivalry sets an example for colleagues, strengthening teamwork and culture.

Practical Strategies to Overcome Rivalries

Transforming rivalry into a pathway of achievement requires conscious effort. Below are strategies that can help:

Detach Emotionally

Recognize rivalry for what it is: an emotional trap. Detach from personal animosity by practicing self-awareness. Ask: Am I reacting to my rival, or am I pursuing my own growth? This mental shift makes space for objective thinking.

Set Professional Goals

Establish clear goals for yourself, whether it’s leading a project, publishing research, learning a skill, or achieving measurable results. By setting your sights on professional objectives, you naturally focus less on rivalry and more on progress.

Document and Track Progress

Track achievements and milestones. Whether through project reports, skills certifications, or recognition received, documenting progress keeps you grounded in reality rather than rivalry.

Build Alliances

Instead of isolating yourself in rivalry, cultivate allies and mentors. Supportive relationships provide perspective, encouragement, and opportunities that personal rivalries cannot.

Practice Professionalism

Maintain respect, even toward rivals. Avoid gossip, public criticism, or unprofessional behavior. Professionalism protects your reputation and credibility.

Invest in Continuous Learning

Outgrow rivalries by investing in yourself. Acquire knowledge, attend training, and embrace opportunities to improve. As your professional competence grows, rivalries lose their relevance.

Celebrate Achievements (Yours and Others)

Celebrate your accomplishments and acknowledge those of your colleagues—including rivals. Generosity in recognition signals maturity and makes rivalries less potent.

Special Note on Workplace Rivalries in Pakistan

In contexts like Pakistan’s corporate and pharmaceutical sectors, personal rivalries are unfortunately common. Organizational hierarchies, favoritism, and limited opportunities sometimes intensify competition.

For Pakistani professionals, focusing on achievements—such as improving sales performance, enhancing research contributions, or leading social-impact initiatives—can provide the edge. By building credibility through professional excellence, individuals can rise above workplace politics.

Turning Rivalries into Motivation

It is also worth noting that rivalries need not be entirely negative. When channeled properly, rivalry can serve as motivation. If a rival’s achievements trigger jealousy, flip the emotion into inspiration: If they can achieve it, so can I. Use rivalry as fuel—not for animosity but for personal development.

Sum Up

Personal rivalries and enmities can drag us into negativity, waste our potential, and damage relationships. They are short-lived battles that rarely deliver satisfaction. Professional achievements, on the other hand, build a legacy—creating value for ourselves, our organizations, and our societies.

The best way to overcome rivalries is not by engaging in them, but by transcending them. By disentangling from petty contests and focusing on meaningful contributions, we create lives and careers defined not by conflict, but by accomplishment. At the end of the day, rivalries fade. Achievements endure. The choice lies with each of us: Do we want to be remembered for outdoing someone in a rivalry, or for creating something lasting through our professional excellence?

Concluded.

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For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, any claim is lodged, it will be acknowledged and recognized duly.