by Office Politics is an evil reality in almost every large or small office. In fact, it is the fact of workplace life in any organization. Believe it or not! There are always some difficult people around you. So, you must learn how to win office politics at work. Otherwise, you might be a failure in office life.
However, office politics derives while employees intend to misuse their power or authority in order to win unjust attention & popularity at the office. It is severely malicious for both employees and organizations. Because it not only causes harm to your career but also damages the institution’s greater interests. If someone ever becomes a victim of it is quite sure most likely he wants to stay long away from it.
What Does Mean Office Politics?
Office Politics is the process of misusing power and authority. The process involves employees in interaction in the workplace with a view to gaining personal interests and agenda. It also is known as Corporate Politics Organizational Politics or Workplace Politics.
Employees are involved in office politics simply due to spoiling their colleague’s reputation to draw their superior’s attention for personal benefits. They make an effort to come in limelight. If someone really owns the potential for it, it is hard to stop him.
It decreases the productivity of the employees. Most significantly, it pushes the organization to a loss. People intend to their maximum to back down each other’s legs who indulge in nasty politics at the workplace. It is really difficult to deal with difficult people who play unnecessary politics at work. That’s why you need to learn how to win office politics.
Reasons Behind Office Politics
Some specific reasons cause office politics in the workplace. Those who do politics in an office, pay less attention to their work. They misuse authority and power in order to come in the frontline. Keep in mind that in fact, it results in nothing productive. Instead, it spoils the working environment and slows down the progress of the organization. The reasons behind office politics are as follows:
- When officials hanker for coming up in the limelight based on politics without less performing their assigned duties and responsibilities.
- An aspiration to gain personal interests beyond their control within a short time.
- The authority’s weakness in controlling employees.
- If the boss depends on some selected employees either for his personal interests or organization.
- When officials involve in too much gossip instead of work.
- If an office has arrogant superiors.
- Envious colleagues might lead to office politics.
Outcomes of Office Politics
Politics at the workplace decreases the productivity of workers. As a result, the organization counts a loss. On the other hand, employees who are dedicated to working can minimize concentrating on work. Most importantly, it damages the relationships among the officials. Colleagues turn hostile due to politics. They mistrust and stop helping each other. As a result, you must know how to win in office politics.
It also causes conflicts and tensions. Employees do not enjoy working at all. Rather they treat colleagues as a burden. When office politics go at the highest level, it unfortunately and terribly finds to sect employees.
How to Win at Office Politics?
Now the serious concerns are how do we deal with office politics? How do we deal with difficult people at work? Feel relax. I have worked out hard in this regard. As a result, we explored the most effective simple ways. You would be able to deal with critical employees. Just you go through ways as I explored in order to ensure a bright career.
7 Surefire Ways to Win at Office Politics
We are so confident that our techniques will help you completely to do well in office politics. This does not mean that you do involve in politics. Rather how do you avoid it to ensure your professional progress? Eventually, you will do your best with office politics in a positive way. 7 Simple Ways simply lead you to stand out from the rest as well as how to survive office politics.
1. Research Organization’s Power Structure
At a very early of joining, do analyze the organization’s power structure. Research the political power and the influence in your office. Read the ‘Chain of Command’. Then, discover the power hierarchy. In doing that ask some questions. For example, who is the top authority? Secondly, who has the most influence? Then, who is highly respected? Who leads others? Who are the think tanks of your company? Finally, work out these questions carefully.
2. Understand Formal & Informal Networks
The next step should be to understand the organization’s interactions, relationships, and social networks. This will provide you with deep insight. The formal network might be strategic relationships. It may affect the organization’s authority.
Similarly, closely investigate the informal networks. Find out the In-groups & Out-groups among employees. Examine whether the relationships are in terms of professional or interest-based or something else. Networks and relationships can highly influence the authority and power structure. So, study formal and informal networks in order to know how to win office politics.
3. Develop Your Interpersonal Skills
Strong interpersonal skills will make you stronger to survive in any tough situation. Develop interpersonal skills as office politics play with people. Maintain your network. Build more connections with your colleagues. Think before you act. Try to read other people’s emotions. Control yourself. Engage more with others. You must maintain regular communication with superiors. Analyze your co-workers. Respond to them when need you.
4. Maintain Professionalism
If you are professional, then you are able how to survive office politics. Exactly that! Professionalism certainly will defend you against office politics. It means that you have a strong commitment to your job. If you are professional, you must be positive, self-respectful, accountable, honest, and many more that professionalism requires. That’s why you will conduct your duties duly. Employees who are less attentive to their work might highly prone to involve in politics. So, if you fulfill your job commitments then you will get a little scope to involve in office politics.
5. Never Get Personal-Don’t Take Sides
Unexpected things most probably will happen in your workplace. For example, unfortunately, someone could misbehave with you or undermine you. In this fact, you might get angry. If there is something like that just handle it professionally. Never personally. Never wait to give him a lesson. You should discuss it with your boss if someone violates office decorum with you. Surely, this is the better way how to win office politics at work.
When groups are in action in your office, you might intend to take sides. Dangerous! Don’t do this. Conflict will end the course. Tensions arise on particular issues. You would have your own opinions. Great! The authority will resolve them. Stay cool. Observe the situation keenly. Don’t take sides. If you do so, you will get involved in office politics.
6. Transform Negative Politics into Positive
You can make a great contribution to your organization. Just neutralize the negative politics into a positive one. If someone is “Fuelling the Fire”, you should pour water. Avoid passing rumors. When conflicts are going on, play with professionalism. If you raise your voice, make sure that you take a side of your organization. Remember that you are an employee of the organization. Not for any confronting groups. So, take an organizational perspective. Don’t be a selfish one.
7. Hate the Game not the Player
Earlier in this post, we said that office politics is the fact of workplace life whether you like or dislike it. You need not involve in it, but you have to know the reality of office politics. You must know what is going against you. Don’t play politics to come forward. Definitely, you learn how to deal with office politics at work.
As the political game is reality & nasty, you can hate the game. Don’t hate the player. Because they are your co-workers. Moreover, someone might be a victim of it. Or can do wrong. Keep your doors open if he will come back in a positive way.