29 Jan The Silent Saboteurs: Envy, Jealousy, and the Dilemma of Work Choices

Why Do People Shy Away from Entrepreneurship and Choose Corporations Instead?

Entrepreneurship is often seen as the ultimate professional freedom—your own boss, no corporate politics, unlimited potential. Yet, when given the choice, most people still prefer corporate jobs. Why? The answer goes beyond financial security or stability. It is deeply rooted in psychological dynamics, particularly envy and jealousy (E&J), emotions that corporations dilute but entrepreneurship exposes in full force.

Entrepreneurs live in a world of constant comparison, where their progress (or lack thereof) is on full display. This environment amplifies envy—what Otto Kernberg (1998) describes as a destructive force that turns admiration into resentment. Unlike corporations, where bureaucracy buffers personal conflicts, entrepreneurship is a direct, personal battle for validation, resources, and success.

Corporations, in contrast, offer a structured path where promotions, pay raises, and job security shield employees from direct competition. Even when envy arises, the hierarchical structure diffuses it. Wilfred Bion (1961) noted that groups develop defensive mechanisms to suppress destructive emotions, turning them into socially acceptable behaviors like formal complaints or HR interventions. In entrepreneurship, there’s no such buffer—you are alone with your success or failure, and that’s psychologically terrifying for most.

Public Administration: A Psychological Minefield in Corrupt Countries

Public administration should be the backbone of society, yet in corrupt environments, it becomes a psychological trap. Here, employees are not just caught in power struggles but are also forced to compromise their values daily. When promotions are based on nepotism rather than merit, the feeling of being “unseen” or “unrecognized” becomes chronic.

John Bowlby (1969), in his attachment theory, described how secure environments foster confidence, while insecure environments create anxiety, withdrawal, and aggression. In corrupt administrations, employees either succumb to the system, becoming cynical and detached, or they fight against it and risk professional exile. Both paths lead to psychological exhaustion.

Moreover, as Jaques Lacan (1977) pointed out, human identity is formed through the mirror stage, where individuals define themselves through others’ perceptions. In corrupt systems, workers constantly see themselves “losing” to less competent but better-connected colleagues, which creates a chronic sense of humiliation—a prime trigger for envy and workplace sabotage.

Envy and Jealousy in Corporations: The Perennial Power Struggle

Despite corporations’ best efforts at inclusivity, envy and jealousy remain dominant forces. But why do they persist? The answer lies in human development.

Margaret Mahler (1975) described how early childhood experiences shape how individuals handle competition and recognition. In corporate settings, employees experience what she called “rapprochement”—a phase where individuals seek both autonomy and reassurance. Employees want to be independent but also crave validation from their superiors. When this validation is denied (e.g., a passed-over promotion), jealousy ignites.

Envy also spikes during what I call the “Ambition Stage” of an employee’s career—typically between 5-10 years in the workforce—when the gap between aspiration and reality feels most intense. Heinz Kohut (1971) argued that when individuals feel undervalued or unseen, they resort to narcissistic defenses, either withdrawing (losing motivation) or attacking (undermining others).

This is why high-performers often become targets. Addo & Mensah (2023) found that the more successful an employee, the more they are socially undermined. Employees do not envy the CEO—they envy the colleague who was just like them but got ahead. This aligns with Fairbairn’s (1952) theory of object relations, which states that unmet needs in early relationships resurface in professional settings, turning colleagues into “stand-ins” for past authority figures who failed to recognize us.

How Leaders and Individuals Can Respond

1. As a Leader:

• Transparent Communication: Clearly articulate promotion criteria to minimize perceived favoritism.

• Preemptive Emotional Management: Train teams to recognize envy early and transform it into motivation rather than sabotage.

• Encourage Collaboration, Not Competition: Foster interdependent goals so that success is a team effort, not an individual’s win.

2. As an Individual Contributor:

• Reframe Envy: Use it as an indicator of what you desire and turn it into a source of inspiration.

• Self-Awareness Practices: Recognize when childhood insecurities are being projected onto workplace dynamics.

• Focus on Growth, Not Comparison: As Peter Fónagy (2002) highlighted, self-worth must be built on personal achievement, not external validation.

Final Thoughts

Envy and jealousy are not “corporate problems” or “entrepreneurial problems”—they are human problems. Left unchecked, they sabotage careers, businesses, and mental health. Leaders must create transparent, fair, and psychologically safe workplaces. Individuals must become aware of their own emotional triggers and reframe envy as a signal for growth rather than an invitation for destruction.

References

Addo, M. A., & Mensah, I. (2023). Envy and jealousy in entrepreneurial activities: Existence, causes, effects, and management. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 13, 23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40497-023-00367-z

Bion, W. R. (1961). Experiences in groups and other papers. Tavistock Publications.

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Volume 1. Attachment. Basic Books.

Fairbairn, W. R. D. (1952). Psychoanalytic studies of the personality. Tavistock Publications.

Fónagy, P. (2002). Affect regulation, mentalization and the development of the self. Karnac Books.

Kernberg, O. F. (1998). Aggression in personality disorders and perversions. Yale University Press.

Kohut, H. (1971). The analysis of the self. University of Chicago Press.

Lacan, J. (1977). Ecrits: A selection. Norton.

Mahler, M. S. (1975). The psychological birth of the human infant: Symbiosis and individuation. Basic Books.

#Leadership #CorporateCulture #Entrepreneurship #Psychoanalysis #WorkplacePsychology #Transparency #EmotionalIntelligence