The recent political situation in the country got me thinking about office politics. It’s a nasty reality in the workplace that most of us have faced at some (or multiple) points in our careers. There are some people who seem to handle it with ease and others who just may end up resigning. So what do the people who manage office politics do? Whether it’s between team members or a complete deadlock between team leaders – what can you do?
1. Focus on one-on-one relationships
You probably know who’s behind all the gossip. And if you don’t, well that’s one more thing for you to add to this list. For this, you’ve got to jump into the deep end of the pool. Try having lunch with this gossip mongrel or their “second in commands” because office politics cliques are just like those in high school. People are full of insecurities and are often simply intimidated. Perhaps they’ll realize that they have more in common with you once they get to know you.
2. Pick an overall attitude and stick to it
According to the economic times, there are different types of office politics attitudes: the freeze, flight and fight responses. My advice: pick one and stick to it. Personally I’m not a fan of the freeze or flight because they seem too passive for me. That said, fighting has to be done nicely! Don’t become another factor of office politics. Instead fight it to solve it for yourself and everyone else in the workplace.
3. Listen to everyone, don’t take sides
It may seem like you’re one against the many “parties” involved. However, everyone’s in it for themselves so though it may appear that they’re all on the same page I guarantee there will be differences. That’s why it’s important that you listen to all those involved and make sure you understand everyone’s point of view. This goes back to point one – build you relationships, get people to genuinely like you and try to get everyone aboard your ship.
4. If you really believe in something, do it and then handle the consequences
You can’t let office politics deviate you from the objectives that you would like to achieve. This is especially difficult when you have to work with someone on the same project and they’re playing the politics game. I’ve personally experienced situations where my team mate would agree with my line of action and then go to the boss and say something completely different. The bottom line is, I usually do what I think is right because I can then answer for both the positive and negative consequences.
5. Remember who you have to answer too
The 4 strategies above are not intended to make the office politics players happy, they’re to make you workplace more conducive so that the boss gets the expected results. That’s what you have to remember. Under no circumstances should you be taking actions which your current boss will not be satisfied with. However, if it’s your own boss who’s playing the office politics game, then you may have to consider taking the issue up with the HR department or get advice from another influential manager.
There are obviously just a few of the strategies that can be employed to handle office politics. Have you experienced any difficult situations in the workplace that can’t be solved form the strategies above? Connect with me on Twitter or share them below and we’ll see what we can do!
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