5 Tips to Effectively Handle Office Politics

Office politics are present in every industry in one form or another - and it is not going to go away anytime soon. Usually, the main intention of people who engage in office politics, is for personal gain. But what makes office politics a serious issue is the fact that employees who participate in petty politics contribute very little to the organization and its presence at all levels.  

Since it is impossible for anyone in an organization to stay untouched from office politics, it is always better to play it safe and position yourself in a way that you don’t get harmed.  In honor of Election Day, we will cover few tips that will be handy for anyone dealing with office politics.  And when it coes to talking about politics at work, avoid the subject altogether!

Be a good observer – Do not get so involved in your work that you don’t know about the things going on in your workplace.  If you want to keep your job safe, you should keep yourself updated with the latest happenings at your workplace so that you have sufficient time to prepare for changes.  Though, office gossips is not a good thing, it IS the best source for office secrets which you would have never known otherwise. Be a good observer, participate in occassional gossip and keep yourself updated.  They key is to listen to gossip, but not to spread it.

Don’t take sides – Avoid taking sides and adopt a neutral and balanced approach with all groups in your workplace. You never know who could be your boss after few months. Remember that every time you take a side, you make at least one enemy in your workplace.  Be a diplomat!

Don’t be a perfectionist– Do not act as a person who wants perfection in every thing happening in the workplace. You should focus on the tasks that have been assigned to you and avoid interfering in the tasks of others unless asked to do so. Unwanted interference in the tasks of other employees can put you on the office politics hit list - a place you do not want to be.

Have a professional attitude – Maintain a professional attitude when you are at work. Don’t make issues personal. If you have problems with a task then keep them to that task by not making them personal. Set a good example in your workplace. If you are managing a team and do not want your team members to participate in office politics then you have to stay completely away from it.

Develop relationships with your boss’s boss – It is the last but most effective way to be safe from all kind of office politics. Develop relationships with the top level management but remember that this doesn’t mean you can survive for long without cooperation of your team. Relationships with top management can’t help you a lot with small issues, but can be really effective if you are being targeted.

Office politics will always be there...running away is not a problem.  Learn to handle the situation and adapt in a way so it doesn’t affect your performance and productivity in any way.

Are you a victim of office politics? Please share your experiences and some tips with us in the comments below.

This is a guest post from David Smith who works for Conversion Optimization Company Invesp and enjoys writing on SEO, landing pages , conversion rate optimization and affiliate marketing. 

Comments

[Nancy]

Good suggestions, David. I especially think the "don't make issues personal" is so critical and most people don't get that at all.

I did have a negative experience, though, trying to form a relationship with my boss's boss - my boss accused me of doing an end run and making her look bad. But she was very insecure and threatened easily.

[massage therapy schools]

These are some great suggestions, I also think that with every profession and person certain things change. Like being a massage therapist myself i have to be a perfectionist to be good at what i do.

[stevewckrt]

Do not get so involved in your work that you don’t know about the things going on in your workplace. If you want to keep your job safe, you should keep yourself updated with the latest happenings at your workplace so that you have sufficient time to prepare for changes.

[K Weed]

I have to agree. It's important not to let the bureaucracy at work consume you, but it is foolish not to keep an eye on it. People who get caught up in office politics seem to treat the workplace like a battlefield, which puts the rest of us on the defense - whether we're ready to go to war or not. Playing Switzerland (the neutral party) is the key to a peaceful coexistence.

[Craig Glendenning]

Thanks! Great Article. Here are some of my thoughts on how to deal with workplace idiots:

http://craigglendenning.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-deal-with-idiots-at-work.html

[Melanie]

Here's my suggestion: eliminate office politics, and just get the job done with as little talking and goofing off as possible. That's all I ever wanted to do.

[ganesh]

This is one of the best and most practical approaches I have every heard..