6 Practical Tip to Deal with Office Politics

Managing workplace politics is no less than an art. At my facebook page, I received a question from one young lady facing a shark in her office. She requested me to suggest her the solution to her problem. This is what she exactly wrote:

“AoA
Hope you are in good health.
This would be my first Email to you. I would be briefly describing my issue, hoping for some good suggestion.
I’m not able to manage my office politics. Currently, I’m depending on a colleague who is not my immediate manager. Well, my manager isn’t good at work. She (colleague) is senior to me and Mashallah much competent. It happens whenever I’m assigned a new and different task. I need her assistance. That’s how I’m learning. Now as I’m getting more independent, she is trying to interfere in my tasks, like if I ask her for guidance somewhere regarding some task assigned to me from my unit head. What happens in my absence is that she does that work and present to my Unit head. I’m still depending on her for new tasks. My Boss is in more favor of her as he also depends on her. She is trying to set me up to fail and discredit me.

All this make me highly depressed. I use to handle situations politely but she gives hype to everything. Now if I’m going to talk to her, she will definitely turn against me and of course, my immediate Manager is going to favor her.

I’m not able to find any safe solution to this. Discussing with you in the hope of some good advice.

Regards”

I put the question on social media to seek the collective wisdom. After going through all the comments, here is the secret sauce for her for winning at office politics. The young lady must learn to cope with organizational politics.

1. You need to have a grip on your work. Learn and learn fast. Honeymoon time is over. You are paid to deliver. Start delivering.
2. The ‘culprit’ lady has been assisting you a lot. Be grateful to her. She could pull your legs (if she wanted).
3. Weak people can’t blame others for the conspiracies. Weak people exist to be devoured. Survival of the fittest is a universal truth. Be competent. That is the only way to survive and thrive in the corporate jungle.
4. Sit with your supervisor and decide about your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Set the goals and timelines. Exceed the targets. You will be in the safe zone. Deliverance is the ultimate weapon against office politics.
5. If you think, your ‘shark’ lady is after your job, try to tame her. Take her to any of her favorite restaurants. Appreciate her for her support and guidance and mentorship from the depths of your heart. Tell her you to need her continued guidance. Massage her ego. She will be fine. You are weak. Your cordial (not confrontational) relationship with her will make you strong.
6. Since most of the conspiracies at the workplace happen in your absence, be vigilant and don’t be absent from work.

Hope it helps. Do you face any challenge at the workplace? Inbox me on facebook. I will help you find the best answers.