Anyone within close proximity to a field, urban park or golf course where Canada geese migrate in the spring and fall knows that they are fiercely protective creatures.

Unlike many bird species that will fly away if threatened, geese will stay and fight for their territory. If a goose stands tall, spreads its wings and hisses at you, you'd better move off its turf ---- and fast.

Like geese, many office workers grow territorial of their status and work responsibilities. Although hissing and wing flapping may be a rare occurrence in the workplace, there are much more subtle ways for employees to protect their personal investment when they detect a threat to the job security they have worked so hard to build.

Turf guarding is almost always caused by change. It could be that a new worker is introduced into an environment populated by long-term employees who have been with the organization for years, know the ropes and have attained a certain level of authority and respect over time. This eager newbie bounds in with new ideas and the boss's attention, irking the long-term employee who is suddenly looking over their shoulder.

It could also be that the one being protective is insecure, like the manager who lords power over others, is reluctant to share information or is unwilling to co-operate or listen to suggestions.

Or it might be that the employee believes they are justified to preserve what is rightfully theirs, such as in the case of a salesperson learning that the lucrative territory they have spent years cultivating is going to be divvied up or re-assigned to another sales rep.

It's not always easy to spot the differences between healthy competition that sparks creativity and rejuvenates motivation and the kind of destructive territorial behaviour that disrupts performance and damages reputations. Although it can be subtle in appearance, turf guarding at its worst tends to look like backbiting, manipulation, tension, cloistering, intimidation or all-out sabotage.

Managers need to be concerned about turf wars because they cause people to take their eye off the ball and spend more time being protective rather than being productive. In fact, many managers inadvertently contribute to the problem by:

• Failing to communicate objectives, especially in times of significant organizational change.
• Allowing employees to create their own version of the truth in the absence of distributing real information.
• Not involving employees in decision making, especially those affecting changes to personnel, positions or responsibilities.
• Introducing new concepts, expectations or employees without integrating them properly or without explaining the purpose and timing.
• Failing to acknowledge the contributions of valuable long-serving employees who have been loyal and with you for the long haul.
• Remaining unaware of the perceived balance of power in the office. (What happens if someone is suddenly given an office with a window, invited to high-level meetings or has their name listed above others on company memos?)
• Expecting your employees to simply "work things out" on their own.

Fortunately, the best solution to avoid workplace turf guarding is a fairly straightforward.

Managers need to create a team-focused environment where everyone is working for the common good of the organization.

This means levelling the playing field by encouraging "big picture" thinking, collaboration and rewarding the entire team, not simply individuals, when goals are reached.

Being territorial is a natural reflex; it's a survival instinct to guard the security and stability we've earned. So instead of having colleagues vying against one other, a manager should try shifting employees' innate territorial drives to join forces to focus on the real rival.

That's the competition outside of the office after your customers and corner of the market -- not the person in the next cubicle.

-- With reporting by Barbara Chabai

John McFerran, PhD, CMC, C. Psych., F. CHRP, is founder and president of People First HR Services Ltd. For more information, visit www.peoplefirsthr.com.

RESEARCH:

http://www.workplaceissues.com/arturf.htm
http://groupprocessconsulting.com/turf_wars/more.php?id=114_0_14_0_C
http://businessfinancemag.com/article/corporate-turf-wars-0301