Learn more about career with this collection
Strategies for promoting inclusivity
How to address unconscious bias
How to create a diverse and inclusive workplace
Among immediate colleagues, it’s easy to spot two groups of people: genuine friends, who make each workday a little brighter; and sworn enemies – the people who will deliberately make your life hard for no reason. But what about all those people in the middle?
These colleagues may offer a sympathetic ear to your woes, but then go and gossip about them behind your back. Or they’ll defend you from criticism, but then take sole credit for a joint project, erasing your contributions without a backward glance. They help and they hurt too, they are frenemies, or “ambivalent relationships”.
8
129 reads
There is no doubt true friends bring enormous benefits to our overall health and wellbeing. A huge scientific literature now shows our social connections can raise our self-esteem and help us to recover from stress more quickly. This not only reduces our risk of mental illness , but also reduces risk of physical disease and death.
Unsurprisingly, the wholly negative relationships in our lives have the opposite effects: research shows that psychologically abusive colleagues or family members can be enormously detrimental to our overall health.
7
95 reads
If frenemies, in general, have been understudied, then their role in workplace politics is even less well understood. This is a shame, since many job environments may be particularly ripe for the creation and maintenance of ambivalent relationships.
Organisations often force us into interactions with people we wouldn’t choose to have in our social networks.
7
99 reads
It is the sense of professional competition that injects negativity into the working relationship. You may find your colleague to be very likeable, for example, and you would happily go for a drink with them.
Yet you feel betrayed when they apply for the same promotion as you. It’s normal that people want to get ahead but also get along with their colleagues at the same time.
7
84 reads
A study questioned US retail employees about their colleagues. She found that the nature of the ambivalent relationships depended on people’s desires for closeness. The more people wanted to establish a connection with their frenemy, the more likely they were to both help and hinder their partner in their work.
In other words, the positive intentions meant that every element of the relationship – good and bad – was more intense. “It makes the ambivalence more salient.
7
60 reads
Your desire for closeness will amplify the ambivalent feelings.
And so, if you are starting to feel too stressed by the relationship, you might aim to become a bit more realistic in your expectations of what your frenemy will provide, without necessarily cutting them out of your life altogether.
7
68 reads
CURATED BY
"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”- John Maxwell
The Friend Who Is Also An Enemy
“
Related Collections
MORE LIKE THIS
Ready for the next level?
Read Like a Pro
Explore the World’s
Best Ideas
Save ideas for later reading, for personalized stashes, or for remembering it later.
Start
31 IDEAS
Start
44 IDEAS
# Personal Growth
Take Your Ideas
Anywhere
Just press play and we take care of the words.
No Internet access? No problem. Within the mobile app, all your ideas are available, even when offline.
Ideas for your next work project? Quotes that inspire you? Put them in the right place so you never lose them.
Start
47 IDEAS
Start
75 IDEAS
My Stashes
Join
2 Million Stashers
4.8
5,740 Reviews
App Store
4.7
72,690 Reviews
Google Play
samz905
Don’t look further if you love learning new things. A refreshing concept that provides quick ideas for busy thought leaders.
“
Shankul Varada
Best app ever! You heard it right. This app has helped me get back on my quest to get things done while equipping myself with knowledge everyday.
“
Sean Green
Great interesting short snippets of informative articles. Highly recommended to anyone who loves information and lacks patience.
“
Ashley Anthony
This app is LOADED with RELEVANT, HELPFUL, AND EDUCATIONAL material. It is creatively intellectual, yet minimal enough to not overstimulate and create a learning block. I am exceptionally impressed with this app!
“
Jamyson Haug
Great for quick bits of information and interesting ideas around whatever topics you are interested in. Visually, it looks great as well.
“
Laetitia Berton
I have only been using it for a few days now, but I have found answers to questions I had never consciously formulated, or to problems I face everyday at work or at home. I wish I had found this earlier, highly recommended!
“
Ghazala Begum
Even five minutes a day will improve your thinking. I've come across new ideas and learnt to improve existing ways to become more motivated, confident and happier.
“
Giovanna Scalzone
Brilliant. It feels fresh and encouraging. So many interesting pieces of information that are just enough to absorb and apply. So happy I found this.
“
Read & Learn
20x Faster
without
deepstash
with
deepstash
with
deepstash
Access to 200,000+ ideas
—
Access to the mobile app
—
Unlimited idea saving & library
—
—
Unlimited history
—
—
Unlimited listening to ideas
—
—
Downloading & offline access
—
—
Personalized recommendations
—
—
FAQ
Claim Your Limited Offer
Get Deepstash Pro
Supercharge your mind with one idea per day
Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.
I agree to receive email updates