Don’t be a political beast
How to Survive the Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Egos
The Cool Kids (I’m not one of them)
In high school, college and community theater I found that if you wanted to be a lead character in a play, you had to be part of “that clique”. That clique was full of divas and egomaniacs so outrageous that their attitudes could only come from a place of deep-seated insecurity.
So what did I do? I ignored their cliques, auditioned for roles, was cast as a secondary character or chorus member, and enjoyed the hell out of the experience. The clique kids liked me because I was nice, sociable, and didn’t want anything from them. And I suppose I was also not seen as any kind of threat. It’s amazing how many directors tend to play into the whole clique mentality in theater. And sad.
I kept the cool kids at arm’s length, though. My true friends in theater were much like me. Happy with whatever role they were cast in because they were doing something they loved.
When Nobody is Cool, Everybody is Cool
Compare that to the work I’ve done with improvisational comedy troupes. It’s been wonderful. Improvisation is a glorious merging of talents with everyone actively listening and collaborating to produce the best possible results. There are no lead roles in improv. We are all supporting players.
I don’t find the kind of politics in the improv troupes I’ve worked with that I find in rehearsed theater. That doesn’t mean everyone is perfect, but it does mean the ones who don’t play nice get called out on it very quickly.
A quick nod to my friends and colleagues at the IA Summit for being the improv troupe of the UX community.
Those People
I look back at the experiences in theater and think about my professional life. You see, I am one of the lucky few in this world — I have a job and a career that I love. I’m a designer. User experience design, information architecture, visual design, interaction design, you name it, I’ve done it — whether or not we all agree on the specific job title for it. I’ve worked for a variety of companies, some ok, some good, and some rotten. And I very happily currently work for an established company with an inspiring and noble mission. One that is easy to get behind and believe in. One that takes care of its employees.
Regardless of the work place, I’ve always found “those people”. The people who were vying for positions and scratching their way to the top, whether it be in a subtle, slimy fashion, or in an obvious way. They always move in cliques. They are cronies or gather cronies or both. And I truly detest that attitude. I don’t detest the person, but I do detest the method.
What Works for Me
So how do you rage against the political machine at work without making career limiting moves? Especially as you move up in your career?
Here’s is what has worked for me so far:
- Be honest with others
I know, it seems like a “duh”, but when someone accustomed to sycophants gets an honest answer, it makes them pause. I’m not saying be stupid or be cruel, but if someone tells you their plan or idea and you don’t like it, be honest. Of course you need a good rationale. Tell them what you think could improve their plan. This is more of a “yes, and…” than a “no, but…” - Be honest with yourself
This is harder to do than you might think. It means doing a lot of gut checks and ego checks. If you’re put off because you weren’t given a specific project or responsibility, ask yourself why you are offended and if that’s reasonable. Is it a reaction to who they gave it to? Do you think you deserved it more than the other person? And if so, what makes you think that? And what benefit is there to taking action on the perceived offense? - Have two friends
…who will kick your butt.
Everyone has that one friend outside of their work life who will smack them if they get too full of themselves. The one who has seen you at your best and your worst in life. The person who reminds you who you really are. Keep in close touch with that friend. (Love ya, Scotti!)
And find a friend at work who will tell you when you’re doing it wrong. A confidant who doesn’t rely on you for their upward movement in their career. And, to make it more fun, be sure they are REALLY sarcastic. (That’s you Frank.) - Understand how others perceive you
This is a hard one. Perception is reality for the perceiver. So if someone perceives you as being a self-serving person, that is their reality. How you react really depends on your goals. My prime directive in my career is to make other people’s lives easier. And if I do this well, I will advance and grow in my career.
So if I hear that someone thinks I’m self-serving or political, I am bothered by that. It’s not my job to change their minds, but it is my job to understand why they perceive me that way and to consider if I’ve done something to deserve that perception. If I have, then I take that lesson and learn from it. - Don’t take others’ perceptions to heart
Whether they think the world of you or whether they think you’re a slimeball, at the end of the day, the only people you need to be proud of you is yourself and the people you love. Everything else is gravy.
Feedback?
I’d be interested to hear what has helped others in navigating political waters in the workplace. Please comment here or get it touch with me.
