Is there someone at your work with whom you share a love-hate relationship? Is there someone you are great friends with, but also cannot stand that person sometimes? It might well be, because science suggests that this ambivalent relationship, colloquially called a frenemy may be good for you.
Shimul Melwani, an assistant professor of organizational behaviour at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, suggests that the notion of ambivalence is often associated with beneficial outcomes such as creative problem-solving and accurate decision-making.
This is how a frenemy helps you remain more productive
Remain positive
Having a frenemy is better than having an enemy. No matter how exasperating this relationship is, keep in mind that it still provides emotional benefits that are often hard to come by at work.
Jim and Dwight from the series ‘The Office’ are perfect frenemies when they support each other, play pranks and defend each other.
Unbiased opinion
The frenemy can be a sound board to test your new ideas. They have your goodwill at heart, but are not afraid to give a fair opinion. So, you can trust them as the first audience for your idea.
Work harder
The competition created by a frenemy is a healthy environment to improve your own performance and work harder. It helps you to create a safe benchmark with the frenemy, and you work in a situation of healthy competition.
So, while most researcher focus on the toxicity of such relations at work, it turns out that a frenemy can actually make you a better person at work.
Read Also: How To Work With A Colleague Who Just Does Not Like You
