Here are some key takeaways from our panel discussion on "Politics in the Workplace: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly":
- From the panelists’ “Lessons Learned”: (1) don’t lie (2) don’t cry (3) you can’t always trust people you thought you could so you may need to be more cautious and less open (4) don’t focus on looking good or competing with others….be more concerned about contributing to the company, about your team and keeping your integrity (5) don’t gossip – stay above the fray (6) don’t take things personally
- On surviving in a very competitive corporate culture: how do you achieve this when you are not naturally competitive? Stay true to who you are; try to find a win-win solution. See how you can develop some common ground, how you can help that person achieve their goals, get to know them personally. Sometimes if the situation is untenable and you feel you would have to compromise your integrity it may be time to move on
- How do you build rapport with people who may be competing with you or “playing politics? Get out of the office and invite them to coffee, lunch; have dinner the night before a big meeting so you can get to know them; praise, recognize them; do something that makes them look good! (Yes, this can be difficult!)
- How do you manage politics with virtual teams? Get to know them ahead of time when you have a “meeting”; pick up the phone and call them
- Office politics is always there; people who have power and influence get more resources, and in this challenging economic environment that is the name of the game. You can’t avoid office politics, you need to recognize it as a natural element in all organizations and learn to deal with it, otherwise you may be the unlucky benefactor of someone else’s political game plan
- Shift your perspective from politics having a negative connotation to thinking of it as building relationships, finding common goals and practicing open and honest communications
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