Juggling Office Politics

The corporate atmosphere is like a giant circus where you constantly have to jump through hoops, learn new tricks, and keep your head above water in order to stay on the latter.

According to know how to juggle office politics you need to know what personalities or behaviors you are dealing with. Here are a few that I have ran into over the years.

The Jerk

Occasionally the boss, this person is number focused and all that matters to him/her is if sales are met and money is in the bank. People are just a number and come last. They tell you one thing to do and then they blame you for any mistakes even if you did not cause them from the one thing you did right. Working for someone like this makes you want to add praying an extra hour a day to your agenda because you will need the strength to be in the right mindset when you are around the jerk.

The Quiet Person

This is the smartest person of all the people in the office. They are quiet and they have knowledge that you have no idea that existed. Assuming this person is a dud is a mistake on your part. Usually they have a lot to say, but most people do not listen so they stay quiet planning when they will take over the world and unleash their slave robots to do their bidding. Well, not the world, but some big venture.

The Outspoken

This person always has something to say and will give their two cents on any subject because they think they are an expert at everything and want people to know it. They want to be heard in front of any crowd and recognized for solving the problem at hand. They live on hearing themselves speak and are a bit conceited.

The Insightful

Watchful and lends an ear, this person is conscientious of other people’s situations and needs. They listen and do not judge others even though they have enough dirt on everyone at their disposal. They are guided by facts, but also are in tune to their intuition and follow their heart. They do not steal and try to do the right thing.

The Attention Seeker

This person wants you to feel sorry for them and react to any information they happen to put out “accidentally” on Facebook. They bring drama to the office on purpose and it is their goal to stand out and gain mostly negative attention.

The Strategist

Quick to solve problems and the go-to person on the job. They can type numbers like the Flash on a calculator without looking while reading a report. They love mathematics. At a young age they took on roles that were beyond their years of experience and gave direction to those old enough to be their grandpa.

The Ditz

The daydreamer who fantasizes about another job while working at their current job. They are forgetful, but are kind at heart. Common sense is not their forte and their vernacular and range of vocabulary is simple and limited to words such as “like”, “thingamajigger”, and acronyms used in texting. They are great at getting coffee;)

What personality do you have? Was reading this post like looking in a mirror? We would like to hear your thoughts on this and what other personality types or behaviors you interact with on the job. Please comment below.

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Stephen C. Willis is the founder of MeMakeMistake — fix any mistake and send all types of digital greetings (launching Summer 2016).
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