New! How to Navigate Office Politics

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HOW TO NAVIGATE OFFICE POLITICS YOUR GUIDE TO GETTING AHEAD

Transcript of New! How to Navigate Office Politics

Page 1: New! How to Navigate Office Politics

How to Navigate office PoliticsYour Guide to GettinG AheAd

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Introduction ...................................................................................1

MasteringWorkplaceDiplomacy.............................................2

OfficePoliticians:AFieldGuide..............................................4

Managers:TipsonAvoidingPoliticalFallouts.......................6

Conclusion.....................................................................................7

AboutRobertHalf........................................................................7

How to Navigate office Politics

TABLEOFCONTENTS

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INTRODuCTION

How to Navigate office Politics

Whetheryouworkforamajormultinationalcorporation,midsizefirmorsmallstartup,there’slikelysomedegreeofpoliticsatplaywithinyourorganization.Whilemostpeopledon’trelishofficepolitics,makingtheefforttounderstandyourcompany’spoliticallandscapecanbeanimportantstepinyourcareer.

Infact,amajority(62percent)ofNorthAmericanworkersinterviewedbyRobertHalfsaidinvolvementinofficepoliticsisatleastsomewhatnecessarytogetaheadtoday.Thekeytoavoidingpoliticalfalloutistoremainattunedtoworkplace

dynamicswithoutgettingdrawnintopowerstrugglesorplayingpettygames.Thistipsheetexploreshowtotactfullytraversethetreacherouswatersofofficepoliticswithoutdamagingyourreputation,professionalrelationshipsorcareer.

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1Avoid smear campaigns.Playitsafeanddon’tsayanythingaboutcolleaguesthatyouwouldn’tsaydirectlytothem.AsthenotedhumoristWillRogersonceadvised:“Liveinsuchawaythatyouwouldnotbeashamedtosellyourparrottothetowngossip.”Criticizingorwhisperingbehindbacksisonlyguaranteedtohurtoneperson’scredibility:yours.

2Keep tabs on political undercurrents.Separatetabloid-stylegossip(e.g.,“juicy”hearsayaboutthenewhire’sweekendexploits)fromnewsthatcouldaffectyourcareer.Forinstance,ifyouhearrumblingsofjobcutsorgetwordthatanappealingnewroleisopeningup,youcangetajumponupdatingyourresume.It’sfinetotuneintothegrapevineaslongasyoudon’tfeedit.

3 Build a broad coalition of support.Inanefforttoimpressthecompanybigwigs,manyambitiousbutshortsightedprofessionalsenduptarnishingtheirrelationshipswithpeersbystealingcreditforsuccessfulprojectsorpointingfingersatotherswheninitiativesgoawry.Aimtobuildsolidconnectionswithcolleaguesatalllevelsandinallcornersofyourorganization–notjustthoseatthetop.Payitforwardbysharingcreditforpositiveoutcomes,deliveringonpromises,andpitchinginwhenanextrahandisneeded.Youneverknowwhosehelporsupportyou’llneedinthefuture.

MASTERINGWORkPLACEDIPLOMACY

RuMORHASIT… Psst...haveyouheardthelatestnewsaboutofficepolitics?

Don’ttellanyone,butaccordingtoworkerspolled,gossipisthemostcommonformofofficepolitics:

Source: Robert Half survey of more than 700 North American workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment. Responses represent nearly 400 employees who cited office politics in their workplace.

7%Other

2%

17%

54%20%

Gossipingorspreadingrumors

Gainingfavorbyflatteringtheboss

Takingcreditforothers’work

Sabotagingcoworkers’projects

How to Navigate office Politics

Successfullynavigatingofficepoliticsrequiresfinesseandflexibility.Whileit’sanunfortunatetruththattherearepeoplewhowilldoanythingtoadvancetheircareers,it’spossibletoriseabovethefrayandclimbthroughtheranks.Followingaresevenstrategies:

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4 Pay attention to grassroots movements.Noteveryguideline,policyandprocedureisoutlinedinthecompanyhandbook.Avoidstickysituationsbyremainingawareofandsensitivetothetacitrulesthatofteninfluenceemployeebehavioratyourfirm.(Forinstance,doeseveryonegooutoftheirwaytostayonthegoodsideofaparticularlyinfluentialexecutiveassistant?)Carefulobservationcankeepyoufrominadvertentlysteppingontoesorbreakinganunspokenchainofcommand.

5 Connect with your constituencies.Interactingsmoothlywithamixofpersonalitiesischallenging.Gainanedgebytakingnoteofhowpeopleinyourofficeprefertocommunicate.Whilesomecoworkersvaluefrank,cut-to-the-chasefeedback,othersmightrespondbesttoa“first-the-good-news”styleofdelivery.Workapproachesvary,too.Onemanagermightappreciatefrequentstatusupdates,whileanothersupervisormayonlybeinterestedintheendresults.Youcan’tbeallthingstoallpeople,butbeingastuteandadaptablewillonlyenhanceyoureffectiveness.

6 eliminate wedge issues.Smallsquabblescanquicklyturnintorancorousrivalries,butdon’tletconflictfester.Whenyou’reupsetorfrustratedwithacoworker,takesometimetocooloff,butthenexpressyourconcernsdirectly.Bestraightforwardbuttactful,focusingonfacts,notfeelings.Likewise,whenyoumakeamistake,immediatelyacknowledgeitandmakeamends.Youdon’tneedtobebuddieswitheveryoneintheoffice,butyoudoneedtobeabletoworktogether.

7remember, all politics is local.Here’sasimplesolution:Befriendly.Smalltalkismoreimportantthanmanypeoplethink.Sure,talentandastrongworkethicarepivotaltoadvancing,butinterpersonalskillsmatter,too.Occasionallytakingbreaks

POLITICALIMPERATIvE? Whetheryou’rerunningforofficeorjustworkinginone,

itpaystobeagoodpolitician.Sixty-twopercentofworkerssaidofficepoliticsissomewhatorverynecessarytoadvanceone’scareer:

Source: Robert Half survey of more than 700 North American workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment.

45%

17%

35%

3%

VERY NECESSARY TO GET AHEAD

SOMEWHAT NECESSARY TO GET AHEAD

NOT AT ALL NECESSARY TO GET AHEAD

DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER

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MASTERINGWORkPLACEDIPLOMACY

toexpressaninterestinyourcoworkers’livesortosimplyshootthebreezeaboutpopculturecanhelpyouconnectonabasiclevel,diffusetensionorfirmupcollegialfriendships.

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Althoughit’swisetobeawareofofficepolitics,somepeopletakethisinvolvementtoanextreme.Here’safieldguidetoidentifyingsomeofthemostprevalentpoliticalplayersinyouroffice,alongwithtipsforworkingwiththem:

THEGOSSIPHOuNDTothisrabidrumormonger,thewatercoolerisn’tjustaplacetohydrate,it’sasecondhome.Frequentlyfoundspeakinginhushedtones,theGossipHoundlovesspeculatingabouteverythingandeveryone.Whilethispersonmayprovideaccurateorrelevantinformationonoccasion,don’tallowyourselftogetpulledintocorrosiveconversations.

THECREDITTHIEFThere’san“I”inteam,accordingtothisself-servingspotlightstealer.Thispersonconsistentlyclaimsfullcreditforcollaborativeefforts,buttakesnoneoftheresponsibilitywhenthingsgowrong.ProtectyourselffromtheCreditThiefbykeepingawrittenrecordofyourcontributionsandaccomplishments.Whennecessary,don’thesitatetocorrectmisperceptionsaboutwhodidwhat.

THESYCOPHANTThisself-seekingflatterershamelesslytriestostroketheegoofanyoneperceivedtobeinapositionofpower,butcouldn’tcarelessaboutpeers.BewarywhentheSycophantdisplaysasuddenshiftinattitudetowardyou.Heorshecouldbebutteringyouupforafavor,whichlikelywon’tbereturned.

THESABOTEuRRatherthanrelyingonhardworktomakeapositiveimpression,thispersontriestolookgoodbymakingeveryoneelselookbad.TheSaboteur,whooperateslikeacontestanton“Survivor,”delightsinpittingpeopleagainsteachother.keepyourdistance–andyourguardup–whendealingwiththismastermanipulator.

OFFICEPOLITICIANS:AFIELDGuIDE

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THELOBBYISTTheLobbyistispassionateabouthisorherprojectsandwaysofdoingthings.Thisindividualadvocatesstronglyforsupport,butisoftenunreceptivetooutsidepointsofview.WhencollaboratingwiththeLobbyistonprojects,beawareoftheagendabeingpushed,andbewillingtostandupforyourideas.

THEADvISERTheoffice’smostinfluentialpeoplearen’talwaysthemosthigh-rankingorhigh-profileemployees.TheAdviser,forinstance,iscloselyalignedwithacompany’sleadershipandservesastheir“eyesandears.”Becausethewell-connectedAdviserwieldssignificantpowerbehindthescenes,developagoodrapportwithhimorher.

‘OCCASSIONALvOTER’OR‘ACTIvECAMPAIGNER’?

Workerssharetheirdegreeofinvolvementinofficepolitics:

Source: Robert Half survey of more than 700 North American workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment.

40%

14%

39%

7%

ACTIVE CAMPAIGNER: I HAVE TO PLAYTHE GAME TO GET AHEAD

OCCASIONAL VOTER: I GET INVOLVEDWHEN ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO ME

A NEUTRAL PARTY: I STAY COMPLETELYOUT OF THE FRAY

DON’T KNOW/NO ANSWER

SAvvy Self-PRomotioNDo you wince whenever you hear the term ‘self-promotion’? Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a blustering braggart to raise your visibility and get the credit and kudos you deserve. tactfully toot your own horn by periodically apprising your manager of your successes. Add context and muscle to your status updates by quantifying your contributions, linking your efforts to the positive impact they’ve had on the bottom line.

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OFFICEPOLITICIANS:AFIELDGuIDE

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Mostorganizationsaren’timmunetoofficepolitics,anditcanposechallengesformanagers.Ifleftunchecked,apoliticallychargedworkenvironmentcanhinderproductivity,erodetrustandleadtomoraleandretentionissues.Herearetipstomitigatepoliticalproblems:

Conduct straw polls.Maintainanopen-doorpolicyandencourageemployeestoreachouttoyouwhenconcernsarise.Butdon’talwayswaitforstafftomakethefirstmove.Beproactiveandcheckinwithteammembersfromtimetotime.Informalchatsallowyoutomonitormoraleandidentifythecurrentclimate.

don’t embargo information.Frequentlyprovidingclearandcandidcommunicationisagoodwaytokeepthegossipgrapevinefromgrowing.Speculationtendstospikewhenchangesareclearlyafootbutmanagementhasn’tprovidedadequateinformation.

don’t play favorites.Acknowledginggroupsuccessesreinforcestheimportanceofcollaboration.Insteadoflavishingpraiseonanyoneperson,makeapointtorecognizethecontributionsofthewholeteam.Andbeforeyourewardorpubliclysingleoutsomeoneforstandoutwork,makesureyouaren’tslightinganyunsungheroes.

Set a clear agenda.Turfwarsaremorelikelytobreakoutwhenprioritiesandrolesaren’tclearlydefined.Preventterritorialtiffsandincreaseefficiencybyassigningdutiesatthestartofbigprojects.Tellpeoplewhattheyareresponsibleforandhowtheyfitintothebigpicture.

Build a unified coalition.Takeactionswiftlyandassertivelyifyounoticethatinfighting(oronebadapple)isgettingthebestofyourteam.Yourwillingnesstoaddressdisharmonyearlyonandhead-onwillgoalongwaytowardmaintainingahealthyenvironment.

Walk the talk.Youremployeeswilltaketheirattitudinalcuesfromyou,sopracticewhatyoupreach.Don’tengageingossip,playfavoritesoropenlycriticizethedecisionsofthoseaboveyou.Inshort,emphasizeintegrity.

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MANAGERS:TIPSONAvOIDINGPOLITICALFALLOuTS

How to Navigate office Politics

Source: Robert Half surveys of more than 700 North American workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment, and more than 5,000 North American executives.

POLITICALDIFFERENCESRobertHalfaskedworkersandexecutivesthesamequestion:“Onascaleofoneto10,with10being‘verypolitical’andonebeing‘notatallpolitical,’howpoliticalwouldyourateyourworkenvironment?”

Workers Executives

More political: 6 or higher 39% 27%Less political: 5 or lower 61% 73%

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Howyouhandlesensitiveworkplacedynamicscanmakeorbreakyourprofessionalprospects.Butitisn’treallyallthatcomplex.Navigatingofficepoliticsinvolvescommonsense,courtesyandcompromise.Showcaseyoursavvybycarefullyobservingyourofficeenvironmentwithoutgettingmiredinthepoliticalpitfallshighlightedinthisguide.

for a humorous look at office politics, check out Robert Half’s ongoing career bloopers video series, Don’t let this Happen to you, at roberthalf.com/bloopers.

Foundedin1948,RobertHalf,theworld’sfirstandlargestspecializedstaffingfirm,isarecognizedleaderinprofessionalstaffingservices.Thecompany’sspecializedstaffingdivisionsincludeAccountemps®,RobertHalf®Finance&AccountingandRobertHalf®ManagementResources,fortemporary,full-timeandsenior-levelprojectprofessionals,respectively,inthefieldsofaccountingandfinance;OfficeTeam®,forhighlyskilledofficeandadministrativesupportprofessionals;RobertHalf®Technology,forprojectandfull-timetechnologyprofessionals;RobertHalf®Legal,forprojectandfull-timestaffingoflawyers,paralegalsandlegalsupportpersonnel;andTheCreativeGroup®,forinteractive,designandmarketingprofessionals.RobertHalfhasstaffingoperationsinmorethan345locationsworldwide.FormoreinformationaboutthespecializedstaffingandrecruitmentdivisionsofRobertHalf,visitroberthalf.com.

How to Navigate office Politics

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