HR
Don’t Dive right into the seeDy unDerbelly of office politics. Win the game by playing smart... reaD this but With a pinch of salt!
Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. Unfortunate as it may sound – if you are in office, you are in politics! So get set to co-exist, combat and survive the murkiness with guile, brilliance and sometimes with clever silence. Here are 15 tips to make life at work a smooth sail even through choppy waters...
1
Just Don’t play: Sometimes static is power. So just be, do not take sides, ignore the rumours, have a poker face to gossip and cleverly pretend to be uninformed. Being an everyman’s man and nobody’s man at the same time is an art that can beat politics at its own game.
2
be in the KnoW: It may be a bad idea to participate in politicking but it is even worse if you are not able to figure out what is going on. Be thoroughly informed.
10
HR
There are always allies, rivals and groups. So watch, listen intently, summarise and know who is aligned to whom and only then act.
3
never choose a siDe: Howsoever apolitical you may be, you are often pushed into one group or the other. But don’t choose a side as that would be counterproductive too. Understand the rules of the game, identify the players and their thought process and then emerge as the harmless soul who is perceived
to be no good either way. Steer clear of simmering rivalries.
4
builD alliances: A prudent plan to stave off politics – build strategic alliances to have a foot in as many political camps as possible. Develop a personality such that major players should rely on you, no matter which political camp may be winning at a given point. Reliability comes with work acumen and utility: the two safety guards against being sucked into the murky rigmarole.
