It happens. Colleagues compete for rewards, attention, or kudos. Sometimes it's OK, other times it's not. Watch for these nuggets and see which side of the ledger your team is on:

When competition is good

* Raises the level of play across an entire team

* Can build teamwork when team members help each other be successful

* Can be effective when rewards are given out fairly

When competition isn't so good

* Can be divisive when a manager uses competition as a means of humiliating other team members

* Can be unhealthy when rewards for outstanding performance are too scarce there are too few rewards for too many people

* Can be counter-productive when team members view competition as win-lose

Best practices for both encouraging and discouraging competition

* Create a Help others be successful reward, where team members are rewarded based on innovative ways they have helped a teamate be more successful on a project or task.

* Post team results on a visibility board or website for the entire team to see. Just make sure there is a level playing field and that each team member has an equal opportunity to compete.

* Do not reward competition by taking something away from someone else. Make the reward additive, not subtractive.

* Do not reward (better yet admonish) win-lose competition where someone wins at anothers expense.

* Provide opportunity for the entire team to share in a reward if everyone meets a specific goal

* Never compare one employee or team to another, its similar to a parent saying Why cant you be like your brother Jeffy?