An individual’s irrational behavior against a colleague to tarnish their image and spoil their reputation at the workplace refers to politics..

Office Politics is something which is inevitable. In every organization you would definitely find someone or the other indulged in politics to make his position secure at the workplace.

Employees are involved in politics to:

• Gain attention and win appreciation from seniors.
• Be in the limelight without working hard.
• Save his job.
• Earn respect at the workplace.
• Achieve something beyond one’s own control and power.

Frequently changing jobs due to politics is no solution. An individual must know how to deal with politics at the workplace.

Let us go through some tips to win at office politics:

Tips to Win at Office Politics

• Stay out of it. The best way to win at office politics is to stay out of it. Don’t get involved in any of the controversies at the workplace. Avoid unnecessary disputes and conflicts.
• Concentrate on your own work. Focus on your own work rather than interfering in other’s business. Remember you are paid for your hard work and not for playing dirty politics at the workplace.
• Don’t always find faults in others. Try your level best to help your fellow workers whenever needed. Never give them wrong suggestions.
• Be honest. Never break anyone’s trust. If any of your colleagues has confided in you, don’t ever walk up to the superiors and disclose the secrets.
• Don’t unnecessarily react to each and every thing. Your fellow worker might try to play a smart game against you, but if you are honest to your job, no one can ever harm you. It is ultimately hard work which benefits you in the long run. An individual playing politics might get instant recognition and fame, but if he does not have the skills, he would soon be thrown out of the system.
• Don’t rely much on verbal communication. Communicate through emails. It is always advisable to keep your boss in the loop in all kinds of communication. Let your superiors know what you are up to.
• Never manipulate any data. The information must be passed on in its desired form. Don’t play with words.
• Respect others’ privacy. Never open anybody else’s confidential documents or check their emails in their absence — this is strictly unprofessional. One should never overhear anyone else’s conversation.
• Never take sides at the workplace. One should not blindly support anyone. Promote open communication at the workplace. Let the two parties sit face to face and discuss issues on an open platform to sort out differences.
• Always hold back your temper. Learn to keep control of your tongue. Be nice to everyone. Avoid using derogatory sentences against any of your fellow workers.
• Don’t spread rumours against anyone. It is always better to discuss things face to face rather than backbiting. Avoid criticizing others. Try to look at the positive aspects of life.
• Set a goal for yourself and stay focused. Don’t let others influence you and affect your performance.

Building a Politics-Free Environment

Beyond individual conduct, a few broader habits and structural practices go a long way in keeping politics from taking root at the workplace in the first place.

• Enter the office with a positive state of mind. Leave your ego at the doorstep, and avoid being jealous at the workplace. A negative frame of mind is often what politics feeds on.
• Stay engaged in productive work. Employees rarely play politics when they’re genuinely engaged in meaningful work. Management should ensure employees enjoy what they do and don’t have spare time to indulge in nasty politics.
• Delegate responsibilities by interest and qualification. Employees are far more likely to play politics when there’s a mismatch between the job and their actual interests or qualifications. Assigning work thoughtfully reduces this friction before it starts.
• Maintain transparency at all levels. Transparency in decisions and processes leaves less room for the kind of ambiguity that dirty politics thrives on.
• Discuss incentive plans and schemes beforehand. Incentive plans should be communicated to employees in advance, rather than announced after the fact, to avoid a sense of unfairness.
• Celebrate festivals together. Celebrating important festivals at the workplace brings employees closer to each other and builds the kind of familiarity that makes politics less appealing.
• Set fixed lunch timings. Let employees discuss things amongst themselves, apart from work, during a shared lunch hour — this kind of informal time strengthens the bond between employees.
• Treat colleagues as more than just coworkers. Even coworkers can be friends who help you in a crisis. Don’t limit the relationship to a purely transactional one.
• Keep personal and professional life separate. Don’t bring your personal rivalries to work — keeping the two separate prevents outside friction from spilling into office relationships.
• Communicate on an open forum, not one-on-one. Team leaders should interact with their subordinates as a group rather than discussing things with individuals separately, which tends to fuel suspicion and rumours.

Political Behavior vs. the Professional Alternative