A career is seen as a series of steps towards crossing the final threshold and reaching the top of a cliff. A job on the other hand is merely an end-in-itself. Probing deeper though, one realizes that careers do not progress like a series of linear steps, but as sudden jumps upwards. This is known as the “Matthew Effect” as termed by a sociologist. It leads to many just a notch above others disappearing into the horizon after one jump up, maybe on the back of the subordinate’s work. When a person gets promoted though, the new equation takes time to build in. It is not always smooth as the incumbents see the promoted person as fresh competition. In fact, business research conducted by professors from INSEAD has confirmed that it is people at the same level whose fights are most ferocious. This is due to lack of a clear pecking order. Interventions to stem this rivalry and instead crate a more cohesive collaboration between the contestants is known as the “Mark Effect”.

Source:https://knowledge.insead.edu/career/the-risks-of-rivalry-in-a-winner-focused-world-exclusive

Uploaded Date:28 July 2018