Whether you are just starting your first job or your 10th job,
you will find that office politics is consistent in all
companies. Office politics is something that is inherent in any
company you may work for. It’s part of the culture and you won’t
be able to avoid it. So just how do you survive office politics
and still get to make your talents shine? Simple, you need to
market your talents everyday, just as you did during the
interview that got you the job.
You basically need to
focus on fitting in with the scheme of things around the office.
Be friendly and outgoing and offer support to your co-workers
and management when possible. Refuse to engage in the sleazier
side of office politics and soon management and your peers will
take notice of you. You will win their support and respect.
Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn to management. Don’t
assume that they should know what you do all day. They have
their own agenda and may take notice of some things that you do,
but many things may go unnoticed. Your positive attitude and
activities will rally support and leave a lasting impression to
everyone.
It’s ok to offer to take on additional
responsibilities, but only do it if you have the time or someone
else hasn’t stepped up to the plate. Don’t bite off more than
you can chew, it will make matters worse and make you look
incompetent. The trick is to show that you are worth more and
soon you will not only fit in, but also come to be relied on for
more important assignments. You will be a player in the game of
office politics, no longer an outsider looking in. An increase
in responsibilities usually means a raise as well.
Playing the game of office politics well can lead to many
rewards in your career. In addition to fitting in and getting
personal recognition when an opportunity presents itself, you
also need to accept constructive criticism just as well. Never
take it personally, rather look at it as a chance to grow and
learn from mistakes. If you come off as defensive when you are
being criticized, it will sabotage any chance you have of
becoming part of a group.
Know your limitations, toot
your own horn, play by the rules, make your talents shine and
most of all, respect yourself and those around you. Remember
that you will not be able to please all of the people all of the
time. But pleasing those that count, those in authority and
those that you work closely with is equal to winning half the
battle. Be subtle, make the transition as seamless as possible
and make yourself useful. Only then will you have a chance at
winning the war. It is the easiest way to survive office
politics in any company.
About the Author:
Simone Emmons is a human resources professional of 18 years and
founder of
http://Hispanic-Jobs.com and
http://Asian-Jobs.com, 2 niche
job boards for bilingual professionals. At
http://www.hispanic-jobs.com &
http://www.asian-jobs.com we
provide thousands of job opportunities for bilingual
English/Spanish and English/Asian-speaking professionals ranging
from entry level to executive level – nationwide. The author has
given full permission to publish it either electronically or in
print, free of charge, in its entirety, as long as the article
content remains unchanged as is published here today and that
the authors copyright with resource box are included.