The Low down Dirt on Office Politics

I am yet to hear of an organization that does not suffer from this epidemic. For a short while I worked at such a place; where everyone was out to get the job done and only interested in the greater good of the organization. Needless to say, a lot of us work in places where politics is the order of the day. You have to learn how to work your way around the system in order to survive and it is a real jungle out there. In some organizations, I have observed the scourge to be so bad that no work gets done at all. People are more interested in protecting their turf and forming groups that will get as many to align with them. There is nothing more challenging physically and mentally than working in an organization like this. There is no sense of direction, nothing to accomplish, nothing to live for. In my personal experience, at some point I just could not keep it up anymore and enough was enough. I walked out, never looked back, and I am a better person today because of it.

As a leader in an organization whatever the size, you have to learn to manage your own corporate culture. In one of his books, John C. Maxwell alludes to the fact that employees will take their cue from their leaders. Whatever behavior you model as a business leader, determines the Corporate DNA of your organization. Therefore, to manage your corporate culture, you need to learn to manage yourself with excellence. Granted that employees will always grumble, but you are able to dispel any rumors and whispering by coming clean during staff meetings. That way your employees will know that you are on top of everything at the organization.

Another key thing is to ensure that you are always in touch with them on an individual level. Be consistent with this. Talk with them, listen to their problems, empathize and work to resolve any issues that crop up. Learn to manage stressful situations by diffusing them. Talk to your employees and remind them of their worth and value to the organization. Make them want to work for you, not only because of the paycheck, but also because they want to be in your company more than anywhere else. They will give you 110%.

Whenever you introduce someone new to a team, try to decipher how their personality gels with your corporate culture. Some people are just naturally disruptive people. They work through the system like a cancer and slowly rot it from the inside out. Avoid such characters. Learn to create teams that compliment each other.

A tip to surviving office politics as an employee: Avoid office gossip; don’t get involved in petty arguments; do not take any sides. Rise above it. If you can, try to change it by not encouraging it and speaking against it. If you are in a management position talk with your team, resolve any issues and deal with any arising conflict. If that doesn’t work. Life is too short, look for somewhere else to work.

There is nothing as beautiful as working in a team that works together. It comes through in the way they carry themselves and represent the organization to outsiders. It comes through in the quality of work that comes out of the organization. It creates such a beautiful atmosphere that hits you when you walk into the office and creates the perfect work life balance not only for you but your employees as well.

Only great leaders ever master this technique. Commit yourself to becoming a student of great team leaders. There are no limits to accomplishments for a great team leader.