Dealing with Office Politics
Introduction
Office politics – a taboo word for some people. It’s a pervasive thing at the workplace. In its simplest form, office politics is simply about the differences between people at work; differences in opinions, conflicts of interests are often manifested as office politics. It all goes down to human communications and relationships.
There is no need to be afraid of office politics. Top performers are those who have mastered the art of winning in office politics.
Office politics, or how power and influence are managed in your organization, will be a part of your career whether you choose to participate in them or not.
Some workers say they don't want to get caught up in politics at work, but most experts argue that playing the game is crucial to your career success. By not getting involved, you may find your talents ignored, your success limited, and you may feel left out of the loop.
Politics get nasty when an employee is out for his or her personal gain alone.
Think of playing office politics as a game of strategy through which you are able to get the resources and influence you need to accomplish your goals. Most often those who are diplomatic, respectful and build partnership with effective people win.
What creates office politics
1. Insufficient / Limited Resources
People and teams within organizations often have to compete for limited resources; this can lead to a kind of "tribal conflict" where teams compete to satisfy their needs and objectives, even when this is against the greater good.
2. A too competitive work environment For many people, gaining promotion is important, and this can create competition between individuals, or misalignment between the team's objectives and those of individuals within it.
3. Subjective performance standards
A subjective performance evaluation typically relates to intangible employee qualities and is based on subjective feedback from the manager as opposed to objective,
Office politics – a taboo word for some people. It’s a pervasive thing at the workplace. In its simplest form, office politics is simply about the differences between people at work; differences in opinions, conflicts of interests are often manifested as office politics. It all goes down to human communications and relationships.
There is no need to be afraid of office politics. Top performers are those who have mastered the art of winning in office politics.
Office politics, or how power and influence are managed in your organization, will be a part of your career whether you choose to participate in them or not.
Some workers say they don't want to get caught up in politics at work, but most experts argue that playing the game is crucial to your career success. By not getting involved, you may find your talents ignored, your success limited, and you may feel left out of the loop.
Politics get nasty when an employee is out for his or her personal gain alone.
Think of playing office politics as a game of strategy through which you are able to get the resources and influence you need to accomplish your goals. Most often those who are diplomatic, respectful and build partnership with effective people win.
What creates office politics
1. Insufficient / Limited Resources
People and teams within organizations often have to compete for limited resources; this can lead to a kind of "tribal conflict" where teams compete to satisfy their needs and objectives, even when this is against the greater good.
2. A too competitive work environment For many people, gaining promotion is important, and this can create competition between individuals, or misalignment between the team's objectives and those of individuals within it.
3. Subjective performance standards
A subjective performance evaluation typically relates to intangible employee qualities and is based on subjective feedback from the manager as opposed to objective,