In business, forming cooperative relationships with like-minded WOWs helps you keep your friends close. But your enemies need attention, too. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring or avoiding those who oppose you or stand apart from your objectives. You need to know where the beast lurks and what makes it tick in order to survive an imminent attack. You need to protect yourself from the damage a DUD can do by keeping your enemies close.

• Watch Your Back. Keep a close eye on your enemies and on what they’re doing openly or behind your back. Don’t let your guard down by naively believing everyone is innately good, honest, and forthright. There are always those who are willing, wanting, and waiting to stab you in your back if you give them the chance. Never give a DUD the satisfaction of being able to sneak up on you and make you a victim of their bad behavior.
• Keep Them Talking. Engage your enemies on a regular basis by keeping the lines of communication open and active. Don’t push them away, refuse to listen to them, or try to avoid them altogether. You need to know their plans, opinions, and actions in order to best work around them or triumph over them. If you’re in the dark, you’re more likely to trip and fall.
• Seek Understanding. Don’t dismiss everything your enemy says or does as completely left of your own thinking. Seek to understand the other side of the argument or see things from the enemy’s point of view. It may be hard to walk in the shoes of your opponent, but to be a WOW, you need to at least try to stand in them. You’ll gain insight that will help you fortify your own strategic thinking.
• Stay Authentic. As a WOW, you’re an open, honest communicator with a positive, forward-thinking attitude. Keep true to yourself even when dealing with your enemies. Give them your best at all times, never resorting to pretending, changing, or succumbing to the pressures and demands of DUD behaviors.
• Kill ‘Em With Kindness. Be honest about your point of view, but keep it positive, respectful, and calm. Never berate an opponent, talk behind their backs, or act with open hostility or frustration. Keep your cool by approaching them with a lighthearted, upbeat, level-headed tone. By always taking the high road, your enemies only look more foolish and selfish when they resort to their low tactics.
• Agree to Disagree. Realize that you can’t change a tiger’s stripes. Chances are, a DUD will always be a DUD. You’ll need to agree to disagree from time to time, simply letting some things go and picking your battles where they most matter.

Surround yourself with those who, like you, aim to better their leadership skills and work towards becoming and staying a WOW leader. But don’t simply keep your friends close and ignore what your enemies are doing and thinking. You need to be as in touch, or even more in touch, with those around you who can ultimately damage or tear down what you’re working to achieve. Keep your friends close, but, like it or not, keep your enemies even closer so you’re strategically prepared to deal with the DUD element around you.

–Sheri Staak