Is there any office without politics? If politics are defined as what happens when people with different goals and personalities work closely together, then you probably won’t find any office without some politics. Ignoring the politics is one of the quickest roads to career stagnation. On the other hand, if you get caught up in the politics you may find yourself blocked from achieving success.
Taking the long view in terms of office politics is one of the best ways to survive and thrive in today’s workplace. I like to think of this as the Long View Strategy. What does this strategy involve? The Long View Strategy means keeping your eyes on your career goals and ignoring the stuff that isn’t related. Once you realize that most conflicts related to office politics originate in interpersonal differences, you’re one step closer to being able to ignore the day to day skirmishes while you focus on your career.
What does taking the long view involve? Keeping your career goals in mind and positioning yourself to achieve your goals are key elements of the Long View Strategy. You may see some co-workers trying to work the office politics to gain success, but this is a short term solution at best. Working the politics is no replacement for hard work and a genuine interest in learning on the job every day.
Working towards your own career goals will help you rise above the politics and will also lower some of the daily stresses of the job. Here are a half dozen office politics tips which incorporate the Long View Strategy.
- Take pride in your work; strive for excellence in all that you do; constantly look for ways to improve your knowledge and skills. These may sound like no-brainers, but it’s easy to lose sight of these common sense rules if you get caught up in office politics.
- Take an interest in the history of your company and be aware of how the politics have worked in the past. It doesn’t hurt to understand the politics, just don’t let them rule you.
- In an effort to avoid office politics, don’t become invisible. Let your voice be heard when it comes to work-related issues. Be calmly assertive when the situation requires it.
- Don’t be outspoken in your criticism of your company of your boss. Observe co-workers who are achieving success and you’ll notice that they usually keep these opinions to themselves. If you have strong negative feelings about your company, it may be time to head for the exit door. If you don’t get along with your boss, look for a new one within your current company.
- Become tolerant of the differences in people. Of course, this is good advice for many areas of life. Try not to take things personally. I know this is easier said than done, but a thick skin is the best protection against the slings and arrows of office politics.
- Keep a cool head. When stress builds, respond calmly. This is a skill that takes time to master, but once you’ve mastered it you’ll begin to build a reputation as someone who can handle anything that comes your way.
One last thought on the Long View Strategy. Don’t let failures along the way get you down. In the course of a career there are many ups and downs. Bounce back from your setbacks. You may find yourself taking some detours on the road to your career goals and end up in a different place than you expected. It just may turn out to be the place you really want to be.
