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Ken Lear is a business professional and expert on all things regarding leadership, entrepreneurship and business.
No matter the size or scope of the company, office politics tend to always come into play at work. Office politics arise whenever people with different influences and interests meet at work. As professionals plan to gain advantage within their company, it usually will come at the expense of others. The key to navigating through these murky waters is to focus on communicating dynamics between co-workers while avoiding getting sucked into power struggles. When utilizing office politics correctly, efficiency at work can be increased as well as other ways to profit the organization. The key is to not let people focus on personal gains at the expense of the company and its employees.
Avoiding the traps of office politics is hard to do, but it’s possible. Making an effort to build positive relationships with your peers is the first step in the right direction. Everyone, including those at the top and those at the bottom, deserve to be collaborated with. Paying it forward can lead to aid when you need it the most; you never know when you’ll need support from them in the future. Whenever conflict arises in the office, be sure to express your concerns directly. Small disagreements should never lead to permanent clashing. You don’t have to make everyone your best friend, but you will have to learn how to work together.
Office politics don’t always have a negative suggestion. They can offer a path to learning how power and influence comes into play within the company. There are aspects of office politics that you may want to take advantage of to reach the next level in your career. Getting to the top requires tooting your own horn from time to time. Showing your good work to others will lead to promotion, but stay clear form looking like a showoff, or taking too much credit for a team effort. Overall, focus on being true to yourself over being better than everyone else
There are many different office stereotypes that can lead to office politics. From the person that steals credit for someone else’s accomplishments, or someone that sabotages people against one another. Learning and communicating more about your coworkers can improve your professional reputation. Cliques and factions can arise in the workplace, but you should try to make friends across the board and distance yourself form being associated with one set group. Forming alliances with a wide range of groups of different interests is a much better plan.
How a professional deals with office politics and workplace dynamics will absolutely affect their growth in the company. Navigating through them requires common sense and compromise. Play from afar and observe how the office works. That’s the best way to avoid getting caught up in politics that shouldn’t impede your success. Playing the game of office politics is inevitable, and can definitely be exhausting. One must know how to play the game and be prepared to have the right team behind them to conquer office politics.
