Worried about office politics? 4 ways you can handle it
The closing slide of the presentation was followed by a thunderous applause. As Manish was accepting the audience’s acknowledgment his junior Shreya sulked while sitting in a corner. After all, it was her work, effort, and research behind this presentation.
Two months later, her performance started taking a toll. Most of her energy was directed towards worrying about office politics instead of her work. This, in turn, made her more stressed and demotivated. Six months down the line, she was looking for a new Organisation to join.
Do you relate to Shreya in any way? Are you too worried about office politics? Politics is present in every workplace. While you cannot avoid it, here are 4 ways you can handle it better than you currently do:
Be a good listener
It’s important for you to be a good listener in a way that it will help you to understand the expectations of your colleagues and manager. Listening better will also help you to understand how and what to talk to your co-workers and will help you bridge any communication gap or misunderstandings.
Be a good communicator
Credit snatchers are just like bullies. Both fear retaliation the most. If you feel that someone is snatching away credit from you, make sure that you discuss with them about this in person. A simple discussion in an informal environment can totally change the equation between your colleague and you.
Hold on to your achievements
Holding on to your achievements is of utmost weather you are a victim of politics or not. It is important to be visible at your workplace. This doesn’t mean that you keep on bragging about every bug that you find in a code, but keeping others and yourself aware of your accomplishment can help you a lot in the long run.
Avoid gossip
As harmless as it may seem, gossip is dangerous. Though you cannot imagine a workplace without gossiping, try that you do not become a source of gossips. Gossiping is an extremely negative action generally done to hide insecurities.
Gossip is not harmful to the person who is being spoken of; gossip harms those gossiping — Rhonda Byrne.
If office politics is a source of stress for you at work or at home, it’s best to discuss it with your supervisor or your supervisor’s supervisor. And if everything fails, remember that there are better organisations waiting for out there for a talent like you.
Have you ever been a victim of office politics? How do you handle it in your organisation? Comment below!
