The 7 Laws of Workplace Politics

Almost no one likes workplace politics because there is a conception that you will only win if you sell your soul. Is it true?

Successful politicians have described politics as the art of the possible. Office politics is no different. It has become evident over the years that it is sometimes inevitable and hard to prevent. The avoidance of it requires a practical understanding of their source and the people involved.

To begin with, it is important to look and listen carefully to get the full picture of what exactly is happening in your organization. This will outline the political landscape and the key to new knowledge. You need to keep goals in front of you and go towards them honestly; this will allow you to develop yourself, maintain a strategic approach to work, and cope with the workplace’s political atmosphere.

It is important to always adhere to your principles without options. Remind yourself that it is extremely important to remain a worthy and honest person.

Deciding to stay away from reality is not an effective strategy at all. While this is happening around you, you are drawn into one way or another. The following tactics will allow you to triumph over the unwritten and unspoken rules while maintaining your integrity and dignity:

1. Be respectful to all. A classy and respectful person develops positive relationships with others. Be truly respectful to everybody, not just the ones you think will help.
2. Be at your best. Being at your best is being able to define who you are at all times. In this case, there will be no worries about how you should behave or think. Moreover, you should not act as a servant to some colleagues and superior to others. Maintaining the same exemplary standard of ethics with everyone will always reflect well on you.
3. Don’t moan and cry. Build a reputation as a problem solver. Anyone can lament an issue. The star team players are the ones who stop problems or resolve them.
4. Help the boss get it right. It’s all part of being a team-mate. It’s also a smart strategy because your manager is a significant player in your promotion and how you and your work are viewed by upper management. If you have a good relationship with your manager, your manager will be more likely to support and advance your career.
5. Do not be a part of the gossip cycle. You should start with a clean slate during enrollment and continue with the same to the end. Try to avoid diverting anyone’s attention to gossip and speaking about people’s personal affairs. Always remain focused on the job and attaining the organizational objectives.
6. Whatever you do, be good. Build your know-how and skills. Show up on time and do the hard work. You need to do some decent job to succeed in the workplace. If others think you are a bad worker, they’re not going to support you.
7. Recognize others. Making others appear good should be done genuinely and not to accrue personal gains. It’s always a good practice to recognize others’ efforts and showcase gratitude whenever your colleagues assist in anything. Compliments at the workplace in an honest way are also a method of making others look good, which can play a significant role in avoiding office politics.

Last but certainly not least, workplace politics is simply about people’s differences at work, whether differences of opinion or in interest, and all this relates to human communication and relationships. The source of success is understanding your organizational values, understanding your colleagues, and that your decisions should not affect your personal values and rules. Do not deceive yourself with compromises because once is enough to lose control of your values for good.