Office Politics: Breaking Down the Barriers to Your Career

Think of your career journey to date. How many times have you heard your inner monologue commenting on day-to-day issues at work that increase your stress and anxiety levels? Or have you ever outwardly engaged others in confrontation over situations you can no longer remain silent about? Even worse, have you ever been the perpetrator of instigating outward negativity in colleagues, bearing the brunt of negativity you may have helped create?

The point is, office politics are real and destructive. They put at risk your ability to effectively manage your work activities, motivation, passion and productivity, whether you’re caught up in other people’s issues or from time-to-time, even create your own office politics. My comments on this issue were recently published in Marie Claire. Think of these themes as somebody who’s at the receiving end, but also remember we can all slip into negative work patterns that perpetrate office politics.

1. Don’t take sides in office conflicts…But don’t appear insensitive. Most of the time people just want to be heard, although they’d love for you to take their side by dragging you into their conflict.

2. It takes two to tango: Don’t engage in office gossip. If gossiping is a favoured daily activity for a colleague, they’ll get bored if you don’t encourage them with adding your morsels of opinion or judgment.

3. Somebody steals your thunder: Stand up for your work. Sometimes others may seek to undermine you by claiming positive outcomes as a result of their own creation.

More here on this issue that affects us all from time-to-time.