Myth or Science? Powerful Leaders Keep Their (Fr)Enemies Close

This statement appears to be true.

We all have heard the term "frenemies” to describe friends who are also rivals, or people who act like friends but secretly dislike each other. Some observers have argued that frenemies are increasing at work due to the "abundance of very close, intertwined relationships that bridge people's professional and personal lives.”

Keeping enemies close may be one reason why Barack Obama appointed Hillary Clinton secretary of state after their bitter battle for the presidency. Or, in the business world, why one entrepreneur decided not to sue a former college classmate who, after working for her start-up as a consultant, took that knowledge and started his own, competing company with the first company.

Is it really wise to keep your enemies close? And, if so, why?

New research suggests answers to these questions. This research conducted three experimental studies where individuals choose to work in the same room with the rival, even when instructed that they would probably perform better apart; to sit closer to rivals when working together; and to express an explicit preference to be closer to the rival. The researchers further found that the primary reason for the "being closer” effect was the desire to monitor the behavior and performance of the rival.

The researchers also found that the "keeping enemies closer” effect was strong under certain conditions - when the individual was socially dominant, when the individual felt more competition from the team member, and when rewards and ability to serve as leader were dependent on their performance.

These results suggest that the concept of frenemies is very real and that we choose to keep our rivals close so we can keep an eye on the competition they provide.

Sources: M. Thompson, "How to Work with Your Startup Frenemies,” VentureBeat (December 22, 2012), downloaded May 9, 2013, from http://venturebeat.com/; and on May 9, 2013. N. L. Mead and J. K. Maner, "On Keeping Your Enemies Close: Powerful Leaders Seek Proximity to Ingroup Power Threats,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 102 (2012), pp. 576--591.

Question ： Citing an outside source (article, blog, video, etc., just not Wikipedia), provide several benefits and drawbacks of having frenemies. Feel free to share personal stories and/or examples of actual companies in your post. 

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