Territorial Games: Understanding and Ending Turf Wars at Work

On the battlefields of the workplace, employees are jockeying for position, hoarding resources, and manipulating information. Is this behavior instinctual? Can it be changed? "Yes" to both, says the author, who shows the underlying roots and visible signs of territorialism--as well as positive strategies to combat the destructive effects of workplace "turf wars".
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.