“Everything is politics, even your family.  You can be the most competent person in the world, but if you are not political – you will be passed over, bullied, or ignored”  Someone wrote the above status on Facebook, and I thought, ‘How true’. 

Office politics drives us all crazy.   Competitive behavior, backstabbing, bullying, and sabotage are some of the injuries you will suffer at work, as a result of office politics.

 

Related links:

Diversity in the workplace: https://wowza.blog/?p=218&preview=true

Workplace relationships: https://wowza.blog/?p=220&preview=true

Service Excellence:  https://wowza.blog/?p=228&preview=true

 

Old Boys’ Club

 

There is a phenomenon in business called the Old Boys Club.  Men who used to go to the same elite schools trusted each other with top positions in business.  This caused all the top positions to be occupied by alumni from certain institutions.  They basically placed each other in top positions at companies.    Advances have been made in gender and racial equity at work.  For that reason, the old boy’s club is no longer just old boys from certain schools.  It could be made up of both genders and even a mix of races.  The ‘old oy’s club’ is now just an inner circle that has a monopoly over leadership positions.  People who trust each other still form cliques.

 

From my observation, the old boy’s club in SA is made up of rich individuals who own companies.  These individuals add some strategic individuals from the political elite.  They then together for the Board and the C-suite.  At the operational level, however, it is a diverse and varied mix of people who happen to be the decision-makers and the dominant clique. 

 

 

 

 

Alignment

 

It is important to align as far as possible with the people in charge of your department.  Try also to fit in with the dominant traits in your organization.  Decision-makers are usually always watching, and they would like to believe that you are pulling in the same direction as they are.  People trust people who are like themselves.  Managers often hire and promote in their likeness.  If you are not like the management, your best bet is to pull in the same direction as they are pulling.  You need to manage your brand so that others perceive you as being a team player, which is the code for belonging with the dominant crowd.  If the blue-eyed boys (valued people) in your organization work late, you should start working late as well.  Even if initially you don’t have enough work and are merely typing personal documents after hours.  If you cannot align, then you will need to move to another department/organization where you can align.  It is much harder to navigate the political landscape as an ‘outsider’.

 

Awareness

 

It’s a good habit to keep aware of what is happening within your company and around you in your department.  Awareness is important so that you can fully understand the context in your organization.  You can also understand how to position yourself within it.  If you bury your head in the sand.  If you are unaware of the dynamics, you will feel constantly blindsided by developments.  Again, alignment is important, as people will not trust you with inside information if you don’t seem like you belong with the in-crowd.

Narcissism

 

There is a personality disorder called narcissism.  This disorder consists of a person having a grandiose sense of self.  A person who belittles others.  This personality will exploit others for their own benefit and advancement.  They will manipulate, intimidate or bully others to get what they want.  This sort of personality is very prevalent in the corporate world.  

 

You may well find that most key players that you come across in organizations have narcissistic characteristics.  This is the kind of personality that will ruthlessly climb the corporate ladder.  The narcissistic personality is a very difficult personality to deal with.  If this personality is dominant in your organization, you will truly feel that you are swimming with sharks.  You will be constantly faced with undermining, dishonesty, manipulation, and two-faced behavior.  You can google this personality type and how best to deal with it.  There are plenty of resources on the internet.  The reason that I mention narcissism is that it’s a very crucial part of corporate politics, in my opinion.   There are ways to help you cope with narcissists if you do some research.  If you are a narcissist yourself, then you will feel right at home and not need much help.

 

 

Contraction & Depression

 

You must avoid paranoia and contraction at all costs.  Succumbing to fear and suspicion will only keep you too closed up and too careful.  This will hurt your chances of enjoyment and advancement at work.  The contracting retiring individual is the least noticeable for recognition, belonging, and advancement.  Keep your outlook as positive as possible, and work on improving your emotional intelligence in your free time.  Showcase your valuable input as often as possible to the right people.  Don’t be shy about mentioning the good work you have done.    This may involve forwarding an email from a happy client to your boss.  It may even involve pointing out a recent success you or your team managed to accomplish – in a meeting situation.

 

Favoritism

 

You will come across prejudice and favoritism.  You will be overlooked for a promotion you deserve at least once in your career.  That promotion will be obtained by somebody that is closer to power than you are.  Even if you were not actively looking for a promotion at that time, it will still hurt you to see somebody else walking away with what you deserve.  Maybe someone far less capable and hard-working than you are.   It is important to find ways to handle the stress that comes as a result of your corporate job.  Back when I was an intern, it was quite common for managers to suffer heart problems due to office stress.  The company where I did my internship had a program to assist managers with heart health support.  It was one of the perks.  I have not come across such interventions in recent years.  The onus to care for your health will lie with you.

 

Make time to enjoy your family and your life outside of work.  Keep some (good) hobbies and know when to take leave and/or recharge your batteries.  Take comfort in the knowledge that politics is everywhere, even in your family.  This will help you to keep perspective and not get too despondent.  All the best to you!

 

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