Office politics is an inevitable part of organizational life that can have both positive and negative consequences. While conflict between employees consumes a significant portion of managers' time and company resources, some level of strategic information sharing and negotiation is necessary for effective decision-making. Managers should aim to minimize personality conflicts, gossip and short-term thinking that fuel negative politicking by emphasizing integrity, teamwork, open communication and reasonable workloads. They can also address office sabotage directly through seeking counsel, confronting issues privately, and inoculating themselves against unfair criticism. The prudent approach is to play office politics in a way that maintains good relationships and achieves results.
Managers think they are a bureaucratic chore forced by human resources (HR). Employees approach them with fear and trepidation. No one likes them. Is it time to fire annual performance reviews?
5 rules for how learning & development can reduce biasBinna Kandola
Reducing bias is a question of motivation, and Learning & Development teams have a critical role to play. If we’re truly willing to recognise the fact we are all biased, there are some straightforward actions that can be implemented in any organisation.
A call to arms for leaders - 5 rules to reduce biasBinna Kandola
Leaders must realise the unique and powerful part they have to play in reducing bias. Here is a call to arms for leaders - a guide to facilitate change and progress in your organisations:
Abstract
The present paper has two objectives. First, general issues for developing and testing cross-cultural multi-level models such as variable identification, measurement, sampling and data analysis are discussed. A second aim is to illustrate some of these issues by developing a multi-level framework incorporating variables at an individual, organizational and national level. The goal is to explain cross-cultural differences in extra-role behavior. Based on a review of previous multi-level research and cross-cultural research it is proposed that the effect of national culture on work attitudes and behavior is mediated by organizational practices. The framework is formulated using recent recommendations for the development of multi-level models.
Managers think they are a bureaucratic chore forced by human resources (HR). Employees approach them with fear and trepidation. No one likes them. Is it time to fire annual performance reviews?
5 rules for how learning & development can reduce biasBinna Kandola
Reducing bias is a question of motivation, and Learning & Development teams have a critical role to play. If we’re truly willing to recognise the fact we are all biased, there are some straightforward actions that can be implemented in any organisation.
A call to arms for leaders - 5 rules to reduce biasBinna Kandola
Leaders must realise the unique and powerful part they have to play in reducing bias. Here is a call to arms for leaders - a guide to facilitate change and progress in your organisations:
Abstract
The present paper has two objectives. First, general issues for developing and testing cross-cultural multi-level models such as variable identification, measurement, sampling and data analysis are discussed. A second aim is to illustrate some of these issues by developing a multi-level framework incorporating variables at an individual, organizational and national level. The goal is to explain cross-cultural differences in extra-role behavior. Based on a review of previous multi-level research and cross-cultural research it is proposed that the effect of national culture on work attitudes and behavior is mediated by organizational practices. The framework is formulated using recent recommendations for the development of multi-level models.
This Research Spotlight provides a summary of the academic literature on whether companies with an independent chairman of the board exhibit better governance quality than companies with a dual chairman/CEO.
It reviews the evidence of:
• The relation between independent chair and market value
• Shareholder reaction to a decision to separate chairman and CEO roles
• Separation during the succession process
• Separation to improve oversight
• The impact of separation on performance
This Research Spotlight expands upon issues introduced in the Quick Guide “Board of Directors: Structure and Consequences.”
What is "conflict" and what are the general attitudes towards it in the workplace? Conflict is always a bad thing --Conflict is always a good thing --A certain level of conflict is productive, but too much is undesirable. Conflict often spills over into becoming destructive. Therefore, discover how to recognize the signs and symptoms of destructive conflict.
MAKING OB WORK FOR MEWhat Is OB and Why Is It ImportantTH.docxcroysierkathey
MAKING OB WORK FOR ME
What Is OB and Why Is It Important?
THE VALUE OF OB TO MY JOB AND CAREER
The termorganizational behavior (OB)describes an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding and managing people at work. To achieve this goal, OB draws on research and practice from many disciplines, including:
· Anthropology
· Economics
· Ethics
· Management
· Organizational theory
· Political science
· Psychology
· Sociology
· Statistics
· Vocational counseling
How OB Fits into My Curriculum and Influences My SuccessA Contingency Perspective—The Contemporary Foundation of OB
Acontingency approachcalls for using the OB concepts and tools that best suit the situation, instead of trying to rely on “one best way.” This means there is no single best way to manage people, teams, or organizations. A particular management practice that worked today may not work tomorrow. What worked with one employee may not work with another. The best or most effective course of action instead depends on the situation.
Thus, to be effective you need to do what is appropriate given the situation, rather than adhering to hard-and-fast rules or defaulting to personal preferences or organizational norms. Organizational behavior specialists, and many effective managers, embrace the contingency approach because it helps them consider the many factors that influence the behavior and performance of individuals, groups, and organizations. Taking a broader, contingent perspective like this is a fundamental key to your success in the short and the long term.How Self-Awareness Can Help You Build a Fulfilling Career
The Stanford Graduate School of Business asked the members of its Advisory Council which skills are most important for their MBA students to learn. The most frequent answer was self-awareness.6 The implication is that to have a successful career you need to know who you are, what you want, and how others perceive you. Larry Bossidy (former CEO of Honeywell) and Ram Charan (world-renowned management expert) said it best in their book Execution: “When you know yourself, you are comfortable with your strengths and not crippled by your shortcomings. … Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learnPage 6 from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing.”9 They also argue that you need to know yourself in order to be authentic—real and not fake, the same on the outside as the inside. Authenticity is essential to influencing others, which we discuss in detail in Chapter 12. People don’t trust fakes, and it is difficult to influence or manage others if they don’t trust you.
As professors, consultants, and authors, we couldn’t agree more! To help you increase your self-awareness we include multiple Self-Assessments in every chapter. These are an excellent way to learn about yourself and see how OB can be applied at school, at work, and in your personal life. Go to Connect, complete the assessments, and then answer the questions included in ...
This Research Spotlight provides a summary of the academic literature on whether companies with an independent chairman of the board exhibit better governance quality than companies with a dual chairman/CEO.
It reviews the evidence of:
• The relation between independent chair and market value
• Shareholder reaction to a decision to separate chairman and CEO roles
• Separation during the succession process
• Separation to improve oversight
• The impact of separation on performance
This Research Spotlight expands upon issues introduced in the Quick Guide “Board of Directors: Structure and Consequences.”
What is "conflict" and what are the general attitudes towards it in the workplace? Conflict is always a bad thing --Conflict is always a good thing --A certain level of conflict is productive, but too much is undesirable. Conflict often spills over into becoming destructive. Therefore, discover how to recognize the signs and symptoms of destructive conflict.
MAKING OB WORK FOR MEWhat Is OB and Why Is It ImportantTH.docxcroysierkathey
MAKING OB WORK FOR ME
What Is OB and Why Is It Important?
THE VALUE OF OB TO MY JOB AND CAREER
The termorganizational behavior (OB)describes an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding and managing people at work. To achieve this goal, OB draws on research and practice from many disciplines, including:
· Anthropology
· Economics
· Ethics
· Management
· Organizational theory
· Political science
· Psychology
· Sociology
· Statistics
· Vocational counseling
How OB Fits into My Curriculum and Influences My SuccessA Contingency Perspective—The Contemporary Foundation of OB
Acontingency approachcalls for using the OB concepts and tools that best suit the situation, instead of trying to rely on “one best way.” This means there is no single best way to manage people, teams, or organizations. A particular management practice that worked today may not work tomorrow. What worked with one employee may not work with another. The best or most effective course of action instead depends on the situation.
Thus, to be effective you need to do what is appropriate given the situation, rather than adhering to hard-and-fast rules or defaulting to personal preferences or organizational norms. Organizational behavior specialists, and many effective managers, embrace the contingency approach because it helps them consider the many factors that influence the behavior and performance of individuals, groups, and organizations. Taking a broader, contingent perspective like this is a fundamental key to your success in the short and the long term.How Self-Awareness Can Help You Build a Fulfilling Career
The Stanford Graduate School of Business asked the members of its Advisory Council which skills are most important for their MBA students to learn. The most frequent answer was self-awareness.6 The implication is that to have a successful career you need to know who you are, what you want, and how others perceive you. Larry Bossidy (former CEO of Honeywell) and Ram Charan (world-renowned management expert) said it best in their book Execution: “When you know yourself, you are comfortable with your strengths and not crippled by your shortcomings. … Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learnPage 6 from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing.”9 They also argue that you need to know yourself in order to be authentic—real and not fake, the same on the outside as the inside. Authenticity is essential to influencing others, which we discuss in detail in Chapter 12. People don’t trust fakes, and it is difficult to influence or manage others if they don’t trust you.
As professors, consultants, and authors, we couldn’t agree more! To help you increase your self-awareness we include multiple Self-Assessments in every chapter. These are an excellent way to learn about yourself and see how OB can be applied at school, at work, and in your personal life. Go to Connect, complete the assessments, and then answer the questions included in ...
INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING OB Demographi.docxnormanibarber20063
INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING OB Demographics are a key input that affects important OB processes, most particularly perceptions, which in turn affect the individual-level outcome of well-being/flourishing and the organizational outcomes of being an employer of choice and corporate reputation. Page 111 winning at work PERCEPTION PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN GETTING A JOB A recent survey of 400 humanresource professionals uncovered results that are important to college graduates looking for a job. The overwhelming conclusion? That “entry-level workers are an entitled, unprofessional bunch.” About 45 percent of the HR professionals believed that the work ethic of new college graduates had slipped in the past five years.1 Let’s consider how you can avoid being perceived so negatively. IMPRESSIONS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA The Internet is a gold mine of information for recruiters, and some of it creates a bad impression. Photos of drunken behavior, or rants with foul language or that “bash” your employer, won’t improve a recruiter’s perception. You need to be careful about your online presence because approximately 20 percent of all organizations browse sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to help screen employees. Consider the experience of Pete Maulik, chief strategy officer at Fahrenheit 212. Maulik was ready to make an offer to an applicant, but first decided to check out the man’s LinkedIn profile—and decided that the applicant was not a team player. “He took credit for everything short of splitting the atom,” Mr. Maulik said. “Everything was ‘I did this.’ He seemed like a lone wolf. He did everything himself.” Maulik recalls another good applicant who used his Twitter account “to disparage just about every new innovation in the marketplace.” Maulik concluded that the applicant “was much more comfortable as the critic than the collaborative creator.”2 This candidate was not hired either. IMPRESSIONS FROM YOUR RÉSUMÉ Typos, gaps in employment, and too much work history can leave negative impressions. Career coach Cheryl Palmer notes that using your employer’s e-mail sends the message to potential employers “that the job seekers will not hesitate to use their equipment for personal use.”3 RECOMMENDED TIPS The following suggestions can help you manage the impression you are sending when applying for a job. Do’s •Adjust your Facebook privacy settings so potential employers can’t see your party photos. •Use Twitter and LinkedIn to play up your professional interests (like posting relevant news articles). •Cross-check your résumé and LinkedIn profile to make sure there aren’t discrepancies. Don’ts •Don’t badmouth a current or former employer, colleague, or company. •Avoid using foul language and making negative remarks. •Don’t post anything that might be perceived as racist, biased, or illegal.4 Note: We cover impression management in more depth in Chapter 12. FOR YOUWHAT’S AHEAD IN THIS CHAPTER We want to help you enhance you.
grades.sav.savINTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AN.docxwhittemorelucilla
grades.sav.sav
INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING OB Demographics are a key input that affects important OB processes, most particularly perceptions, which in turn affect the individual-level outcome of well-being/flourishing and the organizational outcomes of being an employer of choice and corporate reputation. Page 111 winning at work PERCEPTION PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN GETTING A JOB A recent survey of 400 humanresource professionals uncovered results that are important to college graduates looking for a job. The overwhelming conclusion? That “entry-level workers are an entitled, unprofessional bunch.” About 45 percent of the HR professionals believed that the work ethic of new college graduates had slipped in the past five years.1 Let’s consider how you can avoid being perceived so negatively. IMPRESSIONS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA The Internet is a gold mine of information for recruiters, and some of it creates a bad impression. Photos of drunken behavior, or rants with foul language or that “bash” your employer, won’t improve a recruiter’s perception. You need to be careful about your online presence because approximately 20 percent of all organizations browse sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to help screen employees. Consider the experience of Pete Maulik, chief strategy officer at Fahrenheit 212. Maulik was ready to make an offer to an applicant, but first decided to check out the man’s LinkedIn profile—and decided that the applicant was not a team player. “He took credit for everything short of splitting the atom,” Mr. Maulik said. “Everything was ‘I did this.’ He seemed like a lone wolf. He did everything himself.” Maulik recalls another good applicant who used his Twitter account “to disparage just about every new innovation in the marketplace.” Maulik concluded that the applicant “was much more comfortable as the critic than the collaborative creator.”2 This candidate was not hired either. IMPRESSIONS FROM YOUR RÉSUMÉ Typos, gaps in employment, and too much work history can leave negative impressions. Career coach Cheryl Palmer notes that using your employer’s e-mail sends the message to potential employers “that the job seekers will not hesitate to use their equipment for personal use.”3 RECOMMENDED TIPS The following suggestions can help you manage the impression you are sending when applying for a job. Do’s •Adjust your Facebook privacy settings so potential employers can’t see your party photos. •Use Twitter and LinkedIn to play up your professional interests (like posting relevant news articles). •Cross-check your résumé and LinkedIn profile to make sure there aren’t discrepancies. Don’ts •Don’t badmouth a current or former employer, colleague, or company. •Avoid using foul language and making negative remarks. •Don’t post anything that might be perceived as racist, biased, or illegal.4 Note: We cover impression management in more depth in Chapter 12. FOR YOUWHAT’S AHEAD IN THIS CHAPTER We want to help ...
Hearing it through the grapevine: Positive and negative workplace gossip - s...Sadaf Alidad
a review on the article "Hearing it through the grapevine:
Positive and negative workplace gossip " for HRM class , MBA course, Alzahra University of Tehran, Nov 2016
Learn the results of our five-year research study that examined the impact of people problems at hundreds of companies around the world. Find out how they manage their people problems and how your company’s strategies and tactics compare.
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Managing Conflict: Audio Interviews
Healthy Conflict in Public Administration
Interviewer: Workplace conflict is a natural and healthy aspect of organizational success, but in some
instances, it can also be detrimental. From your perspective, should the public administrator promote a
culture where health conflict is expressed and utilized toward achieving organizational goals, and if so,
how should he or she do achieve this organizational culture?
Representative Keith Ellison
United States Congressman, 5th District of Minnesota
Washington, D.C.
Well, the public administrator has to understand that conflict is like gravity, it is there, it will be there,
there is no such thing as conflict-free environment, nor should there be.
The sales force wants to sell as many products as they can. The accounting group wants to make sure
that the organization is safe and sound and solvent. Sometimes these two goals are at cross purposes,
and they should be—what the administrator and the leader needs to do is to create an environment
where mistakes are OK, where conflict is OK, where people can disagree, where somebody can say that I
think that so-and-so is wrong and that so-and-so will have enough trust to know that it is, one, not
personal. Two, not designed to thwart their progress in the organization. Three, that it is sincerely
meant.
I mean, the leader needs to set that tone, and sometimes that means the leader needs to let people
critique them, and that sends a message that, critique and difference of opinion is OK here.
Now, of course at some point we need to get it together and make a decision, but you have got to make
a deliberate and conscious effort to make sure that you have an environment in which people can give
criticism and people can take it.
This is learned behavior. This does not just spring up overnight, this is learned behavior, and you have to
practice it and you have to deliberately implement a process for conflict resolution, honesty, and trust. In
that way you are always going to be able to anticipate problems as they arise. Conflict should be looked
at as early warning system.
State Senator Katie Sieben
Minnesota State Senator, District 57
St. Paul, MN
There is certainly no lack of conflict in the Minnesota Senate and it is not, as most people would think, it
is not along partisan lines always or has been usually. So I do not have any real good advice to how to
promote it because it just comes so naturally to us in the legislative setting.
Ms. Deborah Chase
City Council Member 1998 - 2003, Mayor 2002 - 2003
City of Kennmore
Conflict ignored always grows, so you absolutely have to address that. And providing a healthy
environment where it is okay to disagree or at least discuss the disagreement, so that everyone
understands where each other is coming from is critically important in order .
We are living in a business world that is going through mass transformation regarding human capital. Manufacturers do not have enough of the “right employees” and, with 7 million job openings in the U.S. each day, employees have more job options than ever before.
Eliminating Harassment and other Cultural Maladiessfmoss
Sexual harassment can create a climate where employees leave, the company gets sued and shareholder value evaporates. Consultant Minoo Saboori shines a light on steps a leader can take to get beyond #MeToo to a healthy, sustainable culture.
360HR Knowledge Guide - The Science of SelectionDi Pass
HR and recruitment techniques have changed radically over the last decade, with technology advances and social changes bringing about new recruitment tactics and best practices.
360HR has summarised our most recent and on-the-job experience into this handy knowledge guide. You'll find practical ways to improve your recruitment outcomes and sidestep common HR pitfalls.
Television Program Development - Charting New PathsChelse Benham
How to create greater diversity in public broadcasting involving the cooperation and partnership with a Hispanic Serving Institution and its regional PBS Station
MISS TEEN GONDA 2024 - WINNER ABHA VISHWAKARMADK PAGEANT
Abha Vishwakarma, a rising star from Uttar Pradesh, has been selected as the victor from Gonda for Miss High Schooler India 2024. She is a glad representative of India, having won the title through her commitment and efforts in different talent competitions conducted by DK Exhibition, where she was crowned Miss Gonda 2024.
Jill Pizzola's Tenure as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at THOMSON REUTERS...dsnow9802
Jill Pizzola's tenure as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at THOMSON REUTERS in Marlton, New Jersey, from 2018 to 2023, was marked by innovation and excellence.
Resumes, Cover Letters, and Applying OnlineBruce Bennett
This webinar showcases resume styles and the elements that go into building your resume. Every job application requires unique skills, and this session will show you how to improve your resume to match the jobs to which you are applying. Additionally, we will discuss cover letters and learn about ideas to include. Every job application requires unique skills so learn ways to give you the best chance of success when applying for a new position. Learn how to take advantage of all the features when uploading a job application to a company’s applicant tracking system.
Exploring Career Paths in Cybersecurity for Technical CommunicatorsBen Woelk, CISSP, CPTC
Brief overview of career options in cybersecurity for technical communicators. Includes discussion of my career path, certification options, NICE and NIST resources.
1. Office Politics Never Die!
By Chelse Benham
"Office politics is the only game you automatically lose by not playing." Susan
Osborn, an office-politics columnist for High Technology Careers Magazine.
A ground breaking study conducted by Carol Watson and Richard Hoffman in
1996 called, " Managers as Negotiators" in Leadership Quarterly 7 (1), showed
that 42 percent of a manager's time was spent on reaching agreement with
others when conflicts occur between employees. This type of interaction is the
basis of much unpleasant politicking; conflict between employees. Politics isn’t
bad in all its forms. In general, politics is the use of intrigue or strategy in
obtaining any position of power or control. – Random House College Dictionary
However, adverse or negative office affairs take a toll on employee morale and
can ultimately lead to higher staff turnover. They also consume a significant
amount of time. In a more recent study, commissioned by The Creative Group
Web site in its article called, “Putting Out Fires” released on April 15, 2001, it
found that executives estimated that they spent a total of nine weeks a year
resolving personality conflicts!
“There are two ways information flows through a company; formal and informal.
How a company handles this sharing of information is crucial to the workplace.
The formal channels are through chain-of-command, memorandums, office forms
and formal discussions such as meetings,” said Dr. Rafael Balderrama, lecturer
of sociology in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at The University of
Texas-Pan American. “Then there is an informal sharing of information. It is
more difficult to make sense of because it is more complicated. A lot of informal
information is passed along through the ‘grapevine’ known as gossip or network.
It is sensitive to abuse in the sense that someone in possession of information
may use it for personal gain or to take revenge on someone else. This is a form
of negative politicking.”
Net Future Institute (NFI) Research found at www.netfutureinstitute.com, a
United States based research firm that identifies and analyzes trends and
attitudes in business and organizational management, found three reasons why
most negative office politics occur. The research found most office politics turn
ugly because of personality conflicts, gossip and a company’s short-term vision
for its future.
“Each company has its own culture with its own means of sharing information.
There are many ways information can be used. In cooperative settings there is
an inter-organizational sharing of information. This is part of the problem solving
process,” Balderrama said. “But, managers should be aware of the informal
communications taking place. They need to know if it is being abused and
monitor the negative politicking taking place. They need to act quickly to address
the situation.”
2. Herman Consulting, a human development firm in San Francisco, California, has
identified the cost of conflict in organizational management. It lists seven costs to
companies on www.hermanconsulting.com They are:
Time Spent by Managers Attempting to Address Conflict – Nearly 45 percent of
managerial salaries are being diverted for managing conflict.
Decreased Decision Quality (Collective Productivity) – Collective productivity in
the form of decisional quality is also impaired during conflict. Decisions made in
conflict-laden situations are typically inferior to decisions made in contexts of
cooperation. The reasons are two-fold. First, good decision-making requires
sufficient and dependable information. But under conditions of conflict,
information is often withheld or distorted. Second, decisions made jointly by
people or teams in conflict are likely to be contaminated by the power struggles
present.
Employee Turnover – Conflict is one of the primary reasons employees leave
organizations. Employee turnover poses an onerous cost to organizations. This
is because of such constituent costs as (1) the lost productivity of departing
employees; (2) the lost productivity of vacant positions pending the hiring of
replacements; (3) the costs of recruiting and selecting replacements; and (4) the
costs of training replacements.
Decreased Individual Productivity Due to Distraction – Conflict inflicts a further
productivity loss by being so emotionally charged and therefore distracting.
Conflict tends to pose threats to both self-worth and relationships with colleagues
– both of which are key preoccupations for most employees. The resultant high
level of distraction diverts employee attention from their tasks at hand.
Reduced Employee Motivation – Conflict decreases employee motivation which,
in turn, reduces productivity even further. If the conflict is with one’s boss, the
reduced motivation may take the form of passive resistance to direction. The
boss will then notice that "nothing seems to get done."
Absenteeism – Absenteeism results from job stress. And one of the greatest job
stressors is conflict. The employee’s absence might be due to a conscious
decision to retreat from the stress (conflict) or it might be due to actual illness.
Illness itself is highly correlated with stress and, thus, with conflict. Accordingly,
reducing conflict will reduce stress, illness and overall absenteeism.
Increased Health Costs – As just noted, illness correlates with stress and
therefore with conflict. Increased illness results in higher health insurance claim
rates and thus higher company insurance premiums. These increased costs are
avoidable.
If the costs are so high how can a manager handle the conflict between
employees and thus reduce the consequences? In its article, “Reduce Office
Politics,” Webgrrls International Web site provides managers with straightforward
strategies for handling office affairs. They are:
3. Keep the door open. Political tensions are often fueled by insecurity. Avoid high-
profile, closed-door meetings when possible. They can give rise to unhealthy
speculation. Instead, try to keep your employees apprised of the latest
happenings in your department and at your firm.
Emphasize integrity. Just one dishonest employee can generate significant office
tension. Hire with an eye toward integrity. Ask prospective employees' references
about their applicants' ethics and honesty, and emphasize the strong value you
place on these traits with your staff at every opportunity.
Eliminate office rivalry. A certain amount of healthy competition can be a strong
motivator, but too much competition can be divisive. Carefully consider your work
environment. Does the level of competition discourage your employees from
collaborating for the greater good of the company? Do workers feel they are
judged not by their individual merits but by how they compare with the person
sitting next to them? These are warning signs that competition is becoming
counterproductive.
Reward team results. Publicly recognize groups as well as individuals to motivate
and inspire. Praising the entire team reinforces the message that collaboration is
essential to success.
Avoid creating the "Lone Superstar." The strongest individual achievers should
also be able to work well with others. Make sure the rules of business etiquette
apply to all employees equally, regardless of status. "It's not my job" attitudes lie
at the root of many politically charged situations.
Watch for burnout. An office filled with employees who are overworked or
overburdened is ripe for conflict. Stress tends to make people less patient, less
receptive and less compromising. Keep your employees' workloads at
reasonable levels, even if that means bringing in outside help, and try to ensure
that assignments are evenly distributed. Often, the most competent employees
will be the first to burnout, since they tend to be given more than their fair share
of the work.
Use humor to your advantage. A little humor on the job can ease stress and
promote camaraderie. Just make sure jokes aren't offensive or at the expense of
others.
Take active steps to gauge morale. Check in with employees regularly and offer
your help in solving problems. Be sure workers feel comfortable approaching
management with their concerns. Clear, two-way communication can help
identify and diffuse potentially serious conflicts.
As on of the nation's experts on both career and education issues, Dr. Marty
Nemko, author of “Cool Careers for Dummies,” provides valuable information for
handling office politics. In his article, “Winning at Office Politics...Without Selling
Your Soul” found at www.martynemko.com he offers effective strategies for
employees involved in negative politics. They are:
Periodically ask respected higher-ups for counsel. That encourages them to think
of you as a protégé. In turn, they're more likely to come to your defense when
you need it.
4. Do unrandom acts of kindness. For example, stay late one night to help a co-
worker on a deadline. Or send a handwritten thank-you note to the person who
gave you assistance.
Do visible important tasks. If such tasks aren't in your job description, ask if you
can take one on. Be sure you are credited for the work.
If you are being undermined, Nemko has outlined some significant strategies for
handling the saboteur and playing the game of positive politics. His suggestions
are:
1. Get feedback from a supporter. Say something like, "I'm concerned that Mary
is annoyed with me. Have you noticed that? Anything you think I should do?"
2. Respond with strength. If your saboteur tries to put you down, especially in
front of others, don't wimp out; make a strong response, perhaps using humor.
3. Privately confront the backstabber. For example, "I've noticed that you seem
annoyed with me? Is there anything I'm doing wrong?" If you get useful feedback,
fine. Thank her and offer to work on improving. If, however, you sense that her
reason for annoyance is unjustified, you need to be strong. For example, you
might say, "Mary, you're withholding key information from me. Things have to
change starting now or I'll have to go to the boss."
4. Inoculate yourself. Tell others that you're concerned that (insert perpetrator's
name), for selfish gain, is unfairly trying to denigrate you. Point to specific
evidence of unfairness or you may be perceived as the backstabber.
“Politics isn't about winning at all costs. It's about maintaining relationships and
getting results at the same time.” – John Eldred, business professor at Kingston
University