By J. Mason
Online Career Tips Editor
In any space there will be politics. You see it in sports, the office, and even at home. Politics in the office has a lot to do with favoritism and getting ahead. While this can be discouraging for those who don’t want to play along, it shouldn’t be a total deterrent from making an effort. Unless you run your own company you’ll have to play by someone else’s rules so it’s best to find out what the guidelines are ahead of time. If there’s a strong sense of politics where you work then make sure to envelope yourself with the details of it.
Getting started is easy. First you’ll want to make friends with someone in senior leadership. In Ceren Cubukcu’s article, “How to Deal with Office Politics”, she thinks it’s a great idea to identify with members of leadership who appreciate and acknowledge your work. This way you’ll have some support in case something goes sour. It’s good to have someone in power on your side and they could deflect negative attention away.
Negative attention can come from a variety of places. Perhaps there was miscommunication with a coworker, you got a promotion over someone older, the boss plays favorites, or an error was made on a project and blame was misplaced. Some of these may seem like misunderstandings, but if they’re recurring then there may be a theme to them. Playing favorites is not only unfair, but could potentially be unethical. This is the ugly side of office politics. There’s always that one coworker that gets preferential treatment based on their relationship to someone in power, instead of actually possessing the necessary skills for the opportunity. One way to deal with this is by having a chat with that manager or member of leadership. Be sincere in congratulating their decision but ask how you can be considered for the role the next time around. Better yet, offer to assist the person currently working on the task. The manager will be looking to have the task completed so they’ll more than likely agree to your assistance.
Favoritism is a common issue with office politics. When you think of politics in the office you think of brown nosing and people climbing over one another. It’s hard to completely avoid this, but there are ways to do it ethically. Whether you’re the favorite, or the one always competing to get noticed you should have a similar sense of decorum. If you’re getting awarded projects without experience for the honor then bring someone in that’s qualified. On the flip side, if you want to be considered but are constantly passed over then talk to your manager. When the needle never changes that’s when you should have a chat with management. Personal evaluations with your manager should point out what you should work on to get to the next level and they’re required to give you that feedback. Make sure that you’re getting equal attention on how you’re doing.
You don’t need to be a convert to social politics at work to get ahead. Keep the lines of communication open and be sure to listen. Having an “in” helps, but it’s also good to have your finger on the pulse of your department. Know where the company is headed and what your boss and leadership are looking for in the different positions that surround you.
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