Understanding Office Politics II

...welcome to the concluding part of this topic. If you didn't get the first part, click here

Learn How To Speak
There is a technique to using words in the office, I used to be an advocate of 'say it as it is after all you are right'... nah, that doesn't pay you, as a matter of fact it could take pay outta your pocket. Choose who you confide in very carefully, and do not make comments about other work colleagues, about your company, about your BOSS except the person you are talking to has a lot more to lose if it gets to the wrong ears. Don't you know that the only way some people can rise is by pulling others down? Don't let your loose lips sink you. Keep your words few

You Can't Change The System
Oh dear, you really can't. Except you knock it down, and rebuild it which I must say isn't why you were hired. By all means add value to where ever you find yourself , give the best you can to influence your work circle positively...but you must shake off that idea that you can change the system, one person cannot change the system, it is not possible and it is not necessary. What you can do is leave the system when it begins to tamper with your values and self esteem.


Be Patient
This is the part where you need to exercise patience...when you've played the game thus far, and played it well, take a sit and watch things unfold. You can't be seen to be too eager, desperation is suspicious. Exercise patience and control yourself, just wait. Its a virtue

Exit
I'm not saying quit your job, all i'm saying is that there is an exit door. The beauty about this whole thing is knowing that there are other places to work. Lesser places, better places, either ways you can always leave. When you begin to compromise your values (corporately) for a paycheck, very soon you will lose your voice. Before it gets there, always know that you can walk out.

But what if you don't want to play? What if you just want to do your job well, keep your head above water and just stay away from the shenanigans? Well like I said in the first part, that kind of behaviour will only make you a victim of war.

Office politics are inevitable, learn to adapt and manipulate people  circumstances in order to have a successful work life,  but whatever you do, be decent enough not to throw someone else under the bus for your own advancement. Do not lose your morals and values in the process.

THE END

Nutty Jay

Understanding Office Politics

Fact: Not everyone will enjoy their work life experience. No matter how good the job is.

Job satisfaction does not come as a result of your remuneration or benefits (or lack of it) or from performance incentives only. Satisfaction from the job can be gotten through the apt application of the fine art of this wonderful concept called OFFICE POLITICKING

Office Politics are the strategies that people play to gain advantage, personally or for a cause they support... it is a fact of life of every organization. Maybe because of the negative connotation attached to it is the reason new employees or pious people tend to shrug their shoulders and say 'Well I cant get into office poiltics, I'll just do my work and keep my head down'. News Flash: You are that employee who would find it very easy to be frustrated on the job. 

Office politics is a game you play in order to get and do those things that are unwritten in the office policy, its the game you play to jump the lines and bureaucracies and even some unwritten due processes.... its a game played by 90% of the staff in an organization from the Managing Director to the COO to the office assistants. Ignoring it, or denying it or avoiding it is just tantamount to living in a fools paradise because  whether you acknowledge it or not, it is happening around and over you and if you are not careful you will be a victim of war...the casual observers get chewed and spat out first.

No organization has unlimited resources that can go round everyone equally, first is for you to know this and accept it that some people will get more than others, whether they deserve it or not is a matter of opinion...your opinion I mean. However to be amongst those who gets a fair share from the company, you need to know how to play the game of making the politics at your work place work for you.

Swim along.... or be eaten alive

Build Relationships
Before you rush head in into building relationships you must first identify the key players in the organization: Influencers, those in authority, the leader of the grapevine, the custodian of sensitive information etc. Identify those who one way or the other your relationship with them can help your growth in the organization, then build relationship with them. A phone call every now and then outside of office work wont kill you, a cocktail after office hours wont bankrupt you. Actively taking part in out of office activities with your colleague is how relationships are built. You have to build your visibility with the people who could be directly and/or indirectly responsible for your uprising or downfall in the office, cultivate these relationships based on trust and by being dependable.

Share Information 
Note this, I am not asking you to gossip anyhow, that can breed mistrust... what i'm saying is that giving a colleague an information that can help them with their job, is an act that will put them in your debts. 'Normally I wouldn't tell you this, however I think this will be of use to you...' that's what i'm talking about. Not petty gossip on how your boss is a meanie or how Mr. A is stealing from the office

Conflict Management
Its bound to happen, don't take it personally...its business. Deal with the business issue that has caused the conflict and forget the rest. Don't return trash talk for trash talk...proving a point is at the long run a pointless exercise trust me. And on no account should you run to your boss to whine about your disagreement with another colleague, that's just you being a tale bearer or better yet, one who can't manage issues. That's bad dude. Except if you find out that your colleague is going to trash talk you to your boss, in which case you have to get to your boss first. But remember, the use of tact should come into play here: '...oh by the way, Austin and I behaved rather poorly today, hmmm let me tell you about it'

Please those who matter
It was Bill Cosby who said ''...I don't know the secret to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody'. You can't please everybody...so don't try. However you need to satisfy those that matter, its hard trust me...when you have these strong conviction of what is right, what is best practice and you want to stand up for your colleague against your boss... DON'T. Take a deep breath, count to 20, and choose pleasing your Boss over your colleague. Its a cold cold world.


....to be continued

I break that chain....

...oh that chain that has held me bound from writing for almost 4 months!!! I degree and I declare that that chain is broken for ever and my hands and mind are free to put down thoughts in writing. In Jesus name!!!

If you agree with me...say AMEN!!!


Nutty Jay