Someone has rightly said– work would really be great if it weren’t for the people, who populate the workplace. Politics is a fact of professional life; you cannot brush it under the carpet. One needs to be aware of the fact that wherever there is money there is power and politics would invariably follow suit. Rest assured office politics happens to be a fact of life, a part and parcel of any workplace where more than one person is employed.
Surviving Office Politics
It varies from office to office, with some places having particularly difficult scenarios to deal with. The situation calls for a fair degree of attention towards your own behavior and that of your co-workers in order to effectively cope with office politics. Allow yourself sufficient amount of time for understanding the psyche of your colleagues as well as seniors. It helps to be nice and cordial with all, while you are always trying to devise still newer ways of approaching and resolving issues.
Be Genuine
It pays to be as genuine as possible. Do not try and attempt to change the system, neither is it needed nor is it necessary. Go for a lower benchmark wherever possible in order to avoid crossing the limits, reaching the saturation point and leading to a burn out ending in an eventual exit from the workplace. The moment you sense the red-light of your consciousness flashing, put a brake on the going on and opt out with your self-esteem and pride intact after all there are other places to work as well.
Chess is a Mind Game
You would do well to learn to play chess, being a mind game; it fits really well with office politics. It helps you think and gauze the next steps of your workplace opponents helps you protect valuable skills, information and assets from your detractors. The innate knowledge of the time and the place you need to speak and of course with whom you need to speak is a major determinant in finding as well as keeping a job.
Conclusion
The repercussions of goofing up would cost you your job so be careful and think twice before opening your mouth. Always ensure that you do not rise up by pulling others down. Never undermine the importance of practicing patience; it is a valuable virtue in the workplace. With increasing patience the stress level diminishes leading to a happier disposition. Tact is a prerequisite in anything you do, go ahead and learn tact. No one can go ahead and teach you tact; however it is a prerequisite for each and every one of us to be successful and happy.
