ALT-1 How to Win at Office Politics
How do you win at office politics? Whenever politics is involved, it is hard to say that someone has won, but there are ways that you can end up ahead of the competition. As bad as office politics may sound, there will be something like that in every job you ever have. If you can't play the political game at work, you are never going to get ahead. So, how do you make sure you navigate the political waters well?
The first thing you need to do is to understand who everyone is at work. Understand what their position is at the company, who they know and if that person is important or not. Understand why a person is where they are at in the company. For example, if an employee has no skills, yet is the manager, figure out why. Could it be that this person has a strong connection to the boss? You don't want to screw up before you even start to play.
Once you get to know everyone, come up with a strategy that will help you get ahead. Align yourself with people who are going to help you get ahead and will become your friends. The higher up your friends are, the better off you will be in the long run. However, don't let the rank of an employee be a discouraging factor in deciding whether or not to befriend this person at work. You never know where that person could help later on.
Know when to be seen and know when to stay under the radar. You don't want to be in the line of fire if the boss is upset and you don't want to be hiding when you could be scoring some good face time. Knowing when to talk and when to stay away is critical in developing a good reputation at work. Another aspect of this is knowing when to pick your battles. You shouldn't be afraid to disagree with someone, but make sure it is a battle that you can win, or will at least advance your agenda somewhat.
A key to winning the office politics game is to develop a likable personality. If people like you, they will listen to you more and you can get away with things that someone who isn't liked as much wouldn't. When people like you, they are going to give you leeway and will be easier on you at work. This will make it easier for you to get more done and maneuver through the office with less damage.
If you want to win the office politics game, you need to know how to play. Make good friends and allies, and become likable. This will make it more likely that people will listen to you and support your agenda. It will also make it easier for you fly under the radar, or get credit for a job well done if the perception of you is that you are a good worker.
