Office Politics: The Worst Fear in Your Working Life

The best way to deal with office politics is to accept that it is a part of real work life.

Office politicians thrive in this muddy field. Any office worker should know how to survive this sticky minefield for any attempts to avoid it is near to impossible.

If you want to try the political ground, you need not feel stressed in thinking of ways how to do it. Authenticity and being natural works pretty well for those who want a clearer way on their career paths without the hassle of being caught up in a game of dirty office politics.

Being aware of safety precautions can guide you against being tossed in the sea of politics and now is the best time to hear out some of these:

* Be authentic. Do not try too hard by wearing masks. You do not need masks to pretend that you are someone else other than yourself. Just to try to fit in and be comfortable in certain situations and in front of powerful people.

* Try to soften the truth but do not dilute it. It is always better if you are transparent and your agenda is as clear as water. If you are asked about your opinions, tell your colleagues the truth. He may not agree with you and you may come out too strong for him; but you can always say your thoughts in a non-confrontational or acceptable manner.

* Be flexible and accept opinions of others. Not all your opinions may be accepted by the majority. Do not attempt to defend some lame positions because people will not buy it and they might have wrong impressions about you.

* Practice your listening skills. You can genuinely show your interest to your colleagues by listening to their issues and concerns. You may find this difficult at first so better prepare yourself during these instances.

* Put your ego into the backseat because it will not come in handy while playing politics. This will make it hard for you to accept others' opinion as you go on defending your lame positions to your total detriment.

* If you wanted an easy life, do not build an empire. Being a sycophant is different from being genuinely interested to the needs of your co-workers. Do not mix them up. You do not need an army of supporters behind you. If you have what it takes to be on top, they will see it in you without trying so hard.

* As much as possible, stay away from gossip and guard your mouth at all times. Gossiping is a very unproductive activity. If you do not want to fall pray to this, never participate in such.

* Focus on the concerns and issues at hand. Focus on where you can contribute and be of service.

* In case you unintentionally bypassed someone with your actions, apologize later. Realize that sometimes you need to make quick decisions.

Yes, it is possible to minimize the influence of office politics in you and your career. Just be authentic and natural in anything you do and all will be well.

Most people say, "I hate office politics! As long as I am doing my job well with high esteem and above moral grounds, I am good."

Well, sorry folks but you are dead wrong on this!

Human beings are political and social animals. This is a reality: man cannot live without politics.

Politics is not only confined to politicians and leaders of nations but it is all around, including in your work place. If three or more persons are gathered around in one setting, there will always be politics whether you like it or not.

Instead of blindly insisting on the ideal world that you have in mind, it would be better to understand and know the inner workings of office politics. You do not want to be the subject of it in the future, right? So, it is best to arm yourself with information about office politics. After all, knowledge is the best weapon that you have.

In the first place, office politics is not as bad as how other people picture it. It is essential in the decision-making process and consensus building inside the company. You can make politics work for you rather than against you. It is possible to participate in office politics without being unethical in the process. You can still do this in a very principled manner.

To do this, you need to have power in order to make it through office politics. It is not bad to gain power especially if your position entails you to have it, but to play it safely and ethically, you need to be:

* in your best principled behavior, which means you have to practice reliability, honesty, and professionalism

* focused on the goals of your organization even if this means that you have to initially set aside your own advancement and success

* skilled and driven to advance the goals of your company but do this within the grounds of good character

How do you deal with competition or rivals? Respect the opinions and goals of rivals and adversaries. This does not mean that you agree with them but instead you recognize their opinions.

Act in a very trustworthy and honest way even if your rivals are not acting such because this can help earn the respect of the higher ups. Good deeds spread like wildfire among executives.

Here are some other ways to deal with office politics. Rest assured that this would not send you off to go look for another job:

1. Be focused on your work. If you want to keep your soul while playing politics, try hard not to divert your attention to dirty games, gossips, and issues. Know your goals and keep that in mind. Learn to have good judgments on things.

2. Be committed to excellent work and build good working relationships with your colleagues. This will keep you near the eye of some "politicians" at work.

3. It is always best to delegate tasks and not to control everything. Potential leaders are good in delegating and empowering others to do their job well.

4. Be in touch with yourself. Always make a mental inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. If there are some things you need to fix within yourself, get the appropriate training and help.

5. Everybody hates being the subject of gossip, so stay away from it as far as you can.

6. Develop that calmness within you. The calmer you are, the higher your productivity, and more people will consider you professional.

7. Never declare a crisis unless you are sure of it. Overreacting is not a wise thing to do.

8. Avoid accusing people of anything. Maintain a reputation of being fair and unassailable because people will think twice too of attacking you.

The wisest thing you can do while staying in a shark-infested organization is to be alert and aware of the things that are happening around you. If you can rise above it, it would be better.

At least you will be able to see things in a clearer perspective and avoid being trapped in the web of dirty politicking. Always be on the safe side of the water but keep your guard high.

People's image of office politics consists of the following: cruel, unforgiving, and unethical.

No wonder that nobody is interested to take part in office politics. If you find yourself behind enemy lines for whatever reason, then the best thing to do in order to save your job is to wade right in and beat them at their own game.

Wear Your Poker Face
People, who avoid office politics, are able to do so simply because they let you know right from Day One that what you see is what you get. As such, there is no reason to beat around the bush with them for it won't get you anywhere.

However, if you are going to participate, then make sure that you are not leaving any clues via expression on your face, tone, or your body language that will get you into trouble. Think poker face!

Listen to Gossip
The office grapevine is the best and worst source of information. Despite this, knowing something inaccurate is still better than being in the dark.

Listening to gossip however doesn't mean you have to spread them as well. You shouldn't! Spreading gossip is dangerously close to lying and slander and you could lose your job if you accidentally say the wrong words.

Keep Your Friends Close but Keep Your Enemies Closer
What works during war will work in the office just as well. Avoiding your enemies is not the best strategy to adopt.

Keep them at a distance and you will never now what they're up to. Remember: forewarned is forearmed. One way to get the information you need is to stay frighteningly close to the people you don't exactly love.

Never Underestimate the Power of the Little People
The rank and file, blue-collar workers, and so forth are often disregarded as valuable sources of information because of their position in the organizational hierarchy. Believing the same thing, however, might just be your biggest mistake.

These people, because of their obtrusiveness, are also the people who may know more than they're letting on. As such, be friendly and respectful towards them. When the tough gets tougher, they just might be the lifelines you need.

Always Put Yourself in Other People's Shoes
You may not share the same taste in shoes or even have the same size, but this will help you understand where they are coming from. When that happens, you will be able to anticipate the necessary steps that need to be undertaken.

Always Be Proactive
Even if you feel that you are the luckiest person in the world, your luck might not arrive early enough to help you overcome whatever work crisis you're facing now. As such, you need to develop a proactive attitude towards your job.

If you want something, you have to work hard for it. You don't wait for opportunities to knock on your door; instead, you find them yourself and make things happen! Why wait for people to find your Achilles' heel when you can make sure that you'll be as invincible as Hercules?

Being a part of office politics does not mean you have to let go of your values and principles. You can still be the good guy even while you're playing by their rules, but rest assured that it's going to be a challenge. In the end, the choice is up to you!

Although politics isn't for the nice girls and guys, you still have to learn the rules and play by them if you want to survive in the corporate jungle.

Kissing Up Isn't Always Bad
There are various ways to kiss up and these tend to have various flavors. Most people assume that kissing up is a technique that is way below the belt but it does not have to be so all the time.

There is a right way to kiss up and it would not even make you the target of everyone's animosity. All you have to remember is to kiss up only when everyone's doing it. Do this only when you are sure that you will not harm anyone.

If You Have to Say Something Bad, Make Sure It's about Yourself
While it's impossible to please everyone, it's certainly possible not to make anyone angry. One way of doing that is to avoid saying anything bad about anyone in the office.

There will be lesser chance for people to get angry with you. Your boss or co-worker will not get angry with you since they cannot say anything against you. If you are itching to insult someone, quickly change the subject. Prevent your job from being endangered by insulting yourself instead.

Charity Doesn't Exist in the Office
Every relationship is based on the give-and-take principle. Some people expect something out of the good deed that they do. If you have done a favor for someone else, remember that favor because you could use that as leverage in crucial times.

If you have been forced to ask for a favor and you are wondering what he will ask from you in return, research until you have found something that you can help him with without compromising your principles. Nevertheless, you must return the favor at all costs unless you wish to be branded an outcast.

Green is the Color of Success for Others
Remember this: some people will be jealous or envious of others' success. If you have been promoted or given recognition for something you have done, expect some of your colleagues to treat you differently afterwards.

Of course, some things can help reduce the chances of stepping on other people's toes. Refrain from bragging about your success. Let other people commend you for your achievements.

Don't Have Multiple Personalities
Adopting contrasting attitudes when talking to your boss and co-workers is a recipe for disaster! You will not please everyone by doing this. Your actions will only create an atmosphere of mistrust between you and everyone else.

Once they realize you act differently depending on the person you are with, they will think that you have a hidden agenda or motive for doing so.

Most rules for office politics simply require you to use common sense. In addition, you have to show empathy and intuition. All in all, just think ten times before you act and you will be safe!

Just be your self. It is still the best thing that you can do to survive office politics.

"I cannot please everybody, I can only please myself"

This is only half-true to the politically-savvy worker. Why?

Take the example of this employee who never gets tired of going around saying her usual good mornings and compliments to everybody including the bigwigs.

She almost won "Ms. Congeniality" for the Ms. U.S.A pageant but have you ever wondered why?

She is playing good politics in your organization. You do not think that hard work alone will get you on top, do you?

There is more to it than just being hard working, determined, and doing the job right to climb the corporate ladder. You will also be graded on how you play the game of politics and this is very crucial to your success. You have to understand that it is very important to understand the political playing field of your organization

Office politics is easy to play if you know how to do it. It starts with accepting the fact that it is a part of your work. The best way to start is to have conversations with the Ms. Congenialities of your organization.

You have to learn and assess your colleagues. Ask what motivates them. This can lead to the opening up of minefields, which represent their professional and personal agendas. This will be beneficial for someone like you as you learn some useful tactics on your way to the top.

Another thing that you might observe about the Ms. Congenialities of your company is their attentiveness to their colleagues' problems and issues. Show genuine concern for their issues. Active listening skills will come very handy at this part of the game.

It is also good but tricky to encourage your colleagues to share their thoughts on things. Create light moments to initiate such type of conversation. This can also be done when you are both outside of the office.

You may try to do all these but it is always wise to put your interest forward because bigwigs, in real life, play favorites. Some of them do not really care about their employees.

Here are some thoughts to consider if you want to participate in the arena of office politics:

* keep in mind that the existence of office politics is a reality

* mingle with bigwigs and soon-to-be stars

* never waste time on has-beens and those with no-hope

* develop professional relationships with influential people

* plan strategically and be aware of office issues by becoming a confidante to your colleagues

* show genuine interest in other people's stories

After you have dispelled the myths in your mind and accepted politics as a part of your life, it is now time to maximize the strengths you have.

It is important to be aware of your talents so you can take a step forward. Highlight your talents by developing and implementing projects that will draw attention to your skills. Be willing to share these with your colleagues and at the same time, share the limelight with others. Give others the opportunity to shine.

Yes, it is true that you can only do so much and not please everybody but the key to winning in office politics is to wow the "powers-that-be".

Make them aware of the skills that you have and the things that you can do. Thus, you can use your talents to put you in a position where you can win the game.



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All sports legends attest to the fact that it is the foundation of their stellar performance.

The spirit of being a team player is an invaluable asset to any team and it is what pushes the team to keep on beating the odds.

The most revered sports stars in history have always been the ones who made their teams better by being a part of the team rather than by hugging the limelight all by themselves or staying at the locker rooms when a battle is to be won.

Being a team player is important in any workplace as it is in any team sports. Team players are the ones that push an organization to excel in their industry.

In any work place, it is hard to imagine a function that doesn't require an employee to be a team player. An organization is like a watch that has numerous ticking parts inside; when a single part moves out of rhythm with the collective parts, the watch is doomed.

Being recognized as a team player in your work place opens up opportunities; while not being a team player could seriously close any possibility of going up the ladder, or at the very least, getting a raise.

But while the idea of being a team player is there, many wonder how can it function in a modern setting where multitasking is the name of the game. Being a team player increases your chance of being promoted because of the following reasons.

Open Communication

A team player knows the value of timely information. As everyone knows, information is the real currency in any business. This also holds true for any position in any company. Think about the information that you can acquire by being a team player; not only will these bits of knowledge make you a better worker, they also enhance your self-discovery, which are both important for someone aspiring to go up the corporate ladder.

Spirit Of Cooperation

A team player understands the value of working together for a common objective. As a team player, you gladly do your fair share of labor. On top of it, conflicts are put to a minimum because you are more focused on getting things done. You and everybody else will have a far better chance of moving forward with all attrition filtered down to zero.

Commitment To Responsibilities

A team player is quick to realize that commitment to one's duties is of utmost importance if the organization as a whole is to work out. Commitment leads to honest work. Honest work leads to competence. And the rest will be about promotion.



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