Tanner Stransky
Correspondent,
Entertainment Weekly
Gather Your Allies
You never know when you’ll need someone on your side. Make nice with these 7 key people.
The mailroom staff
Can’t figure out how to mail that oversized poster? If the mailroom staff likes you, they’ll definitely help and prevent you from dealing with an upset client come delivery.
The office manager
Your go-to person for nearly everything from supplies to keys. She may even be able to provide a little off-the-record gossip or details about how best to navigate the office.
The assistants
Nearly anyone with an assistant in their title is worth knowing. They may be privy to information that could be helpful to you.
The building manager
Looking for additional chairs for an event you’re putting on at work? This is the type of person who’d help you—but maybe only if you’re on his good side!
The receptionists
Get friendly with them. They may even be willing to warn you when your boss is on the way in, which could be essential to your survival.
The security guards
Left your building pass upstairs? Need access to the building after hours? They can make it easy or hard, so it’s worth giving them a smile every day to grease the wheels for those unfortunate days.
The tech people
They can make getting your computer fixed quick and painless or long and arduous, which can make or break getting deadline projects in on time to your boss.
Politics 101
July 2010
From bosses favoring certain co-workers to old guard employees battling to the death with the new, office politics are an unfortunate reality in nearly every work setting. It’s typical to roll into your first professional gig wide-eyed and thinking you can stay safe by just ignoring them. But despite your attempts to act like they don’t exist, the politics of your office are bound to have an effect on the job you do. Fortunately, if you’re smart that effect doesn’t have to be negative. These tips will help you handle the sticky situations that will surely come your way.
Figure out how to deal with it.
Instead of getting involved in your office’s nasty web of politics, the smartest move is to just understand what the undercurrents are so you know what and who to avoid. I’d never advise you to play the game, but I would tell you to know what game is going on around you. What really floors your superiors? What are taboo conversations? What kind of people seem to get promoted? Figuring out things like these is essential to your success.
Watch out for land mines.
Once you identify where the power struggles are and who likes to cause trouble, head in the opposite direction and don’t be the one to trigger an explosion.
Stay in your own movie.
If you think about your job as a movie, don’t make a point to jump into someone else’s storyline. That may just get you mired in muck you didn’t even know existed. Stick to your own script and steer clear of other people’s drama.
Avoid gossip.
Plain and simple, it’s tacky. Just think about how you look at other people who you discover persistently gossip and spread rumors around.
Lose the idea of “territory."
Let others in—that’s the surest way to show them that you’re not political when it comes to who gets to do what.
Focus and be flexible.
Your rigid attitude will only get others riled up unnecessarily. Stay open to other people’s ideas while focusing on the business issues at hand. Don’t get swallowed up in the power struggles or other politicking.
Pick your battles.
Even the most cautious employee can’t completely avoid politics. The fact of the matter is that you’ll probably have no choice but to step into some drama from time to time. So when you do, make sure it’s over an issue or coworker you care enough about to fight for. No sense in putting your neck on the line just for the sake of ruffling a few feathers.
On the Job
Scenerio:
You’re a loyal, hard-working employee, but your boss plays favorites and seems to pass the plum assignments on to a particular coworker. The reason likely has to do with office politics. What should you do?
Quick Fix:
To begin with, you shouldn’t just assume that you’re a victim of favoritism. Before crying foul and making an unpleasant situation even worse, communicate to your supervisor that you’re interested in taking on additional responsibility. This just could be a case where your manager doesn’t know that you’re ready for more. Keep the conversation positive by focusing on your desire to grow and improve, not your frustration. Expressing a “sour grapes” mentality will only work against you.
Excerpted from Find Your Inner Ugly Betty: 25 Career Lessons for Young Professionals Inspired by TV Shows, © by Tanner Stransky. Reprinted by permission of Kaplan Publishing. www.tannerstransky.com