Creating an Enemy

Jackie Zach
January 25, 2024

Jackie Zach and Mike McKay discuss the value of creating an external “enemy” or competitive focus for teams within a company, rather than allowing internal competition and conflict to thrive in this podcast episode. They explain that as companies grow, they are increasingly susceptible to internal friction, which can drain management time, energy, and productivity. To counter this, Mike suggests identifying a common external target—such as a specific competitor, an industry challenge, or even a KPI goal—so the team can unite and work collaboratively toward a shared objective. This focus helps reduce inner conflicts and motivates employees by giving them a collective mission.

Jackie and Mike highlight that an environment rife with internal competition is stressful and unproductive. Such an environment often attracts individuals who thrive on conflict, which can ultimately damage company culture and employee morale. Mike emphasizes the responsibility of leadership in preventing these dynamics by fostering a culture centered on shared goals. He asserts that a strong leader should work actively to avoid internal strife, promoting unity and cooperation instead. This, in turn, leads to a healthier workplace, greater employee satisfaction, and better overall performance.

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Check out this episode!

Podcast Transcript:

Jackie Zach: Welcome back to the Make More Work Less podcast. I’m Jackie Zach, here with my co-host, Mike McKay. Today’s topic is about “creating an enemy.” Mike, you recently did a “Daily Dose” on this—what’s the idea behind it? It sounds intriguing.

Mike McKay: It’s about redirecting friction and competition within your business. As a business grows, it’s easy for internal conflicts to crop up, which can be very costly. Instead of working against external competitors, people sometimes start clashing with each other.

Jackie: How does that become a problem?

Mike: Managing these internal conflicts takes up a lot of time and energy. Leaders end up having to mediate, asking things like, “Why are you acting this way?” or “Why aren’t you upholding our values?” When you start telling people how to handle their problems, they often resist or blame you if things don’t work out. So, the idea is to create a shared “enemy” outside the company. This can be an industry standard, a competitor, or even something like a drop in customer satisfaction. It gives everyone a common focus, helping unify the team toward a single objective instead of competing internally.

Jackie: Right, and internal competition doesn’t help growth. It’s more productive to have a shared goal or enemy to focus on; that way, everyone feels part of a team with a mission. People become more motivated to do their best because they know they’re contributing to something bigger.

Mike: Exactly. It also reinforces good leadership. Talented employees don’t want to work for poor leaders who let internal strife continue. If you don’t give your team a common goal, they’ll likely focus their competitive energy on each other. And when leaders complain that employees are lazy, it’s often because they’re not being effective bosses. To improve, read books, seek a coach, or take a workshop. Today, there’s no excuse for ineffective leadership. A big part of being a good boss is creating a positive culture where competition is aimed at the right target, not at each other.

Jackie: That’s a great point. An environment with constant internal tension and competition is incredibly stressful.

Mike: Yes, and the people who thrive in that environment are often the ones who enjoy stirring things up, not the ones who foster teamwork. In the past, I worked in larger companies with internal competition. I thought that was just how business worked. I assumed the CEOs were setting things up that way for a reason. It was only later I realized that’s not always beneficial for the company.

Jackie: Yes, I’ve seen that too.

Mike: Some large companies still struggle with uniting their teams around a common goal. When we coach executives and help them move toward a unified focus, their work becomes easier, more enjoyable, and they see better results. The key is to rally the team around shared objectives, so they’re working together to overcome external challenges, not competing against each other.

Jackie: Great insights. Next time, I’d like to share something interesting I learned from a networking group about team dynamics. Until then, go out there and make a difference.