Oscar Wilde had once said, “I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their good intellects. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies!”
The fact is, many times, enemies are not created intentionally. But the reality is that they will exist despite us not wanting them—whether in battle or business.
But while we may not have a choice with our enemies, we can surely choose how to deal with them. It is like playing any sport: you need to have a strategy in place to win the game with the competitor.
Chanakya also respected his enemies. His advice was, “He should enter the enemy’s residence with permission” (1.16.10)
In other words, always show respect to your enemies. Even though we may fight, let it be a ‘good’ fight and in the right spirit. But how do we do this? Here are some tips to deal with your competitors and enemies:
One of the reasons for the success story of the Australian cricket team is that they spend a lot of time closely studying the players of the opposite teams.
Dr Radhakrishnan Pillai is an Indian management thinker, author, and Founder of Atma Darshan and Chanakya Aanvikshiki. Dr Pillai has extensively researched Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the 3rd century BC treatise and incorporated it into modern management.
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