Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work

Power, position, property. That’s been the name of the game throughout human history. And the urge to gain new territory – or keep what’s already been acquired – certainly shows up in our daily work lives. The workplace, in fact, is ablaze with battles over information, relationships, and authority – and everyone is fighting for psychological survival. These turf wars are some of the most productivity- and morale-squashing activities that employees engage in. Territorial Games analyzes 10 of these insidious and instinctual acts of gamesmanship – such as camouflage…occupation…shunning…intimidation – and it supplies positive strategies for combating territorial behavior. Written from the perspective of a behavioral scientist and drawn from in-depth interviews with corporate managers, the book explains how to: * understand the roots of territoriality * recognize the signs and symptoms of territorial games * focus on organizational goals rather than individual turf wars * promote teamwork throughout an organization * apply counterstrategies to change destructive behavior.