WORKPLACE SPECIAL .......Handle politics at work

Handle politics at work  Identify your personality type and pick the right strategy to grapple with office politics.     Love it or hate it, you can’t ignore politics at the workplace. So, understand it, accept it and figure out how best to tackle it. One needs to acknowledge that a group of people in a closed environment will invariably influence each other to reconcile different needs. Accepting this reality means understanding people will work towards furthering their own interests, and responding appropriately. You can react in three ways—freeze, flight or fight. Find out which response you should choose and why. Freeze response: Hands-off professional Your personality type What office politics? What gossip? You didn’t figure out something was wrong till your boss was fired as he didn’t get along with the CEO. You were the last one to know that your department’s budget was being halved. Such information does not excite you and you don’t care about the latest spat between the sales manager and plant head. What works for you During office hours, you are happy to deal only with your work. You prefer to rush home at 6 pm rather than catch up for gossip with your colleagues. Don’t worry about office politics. You have your priorities straight. You are comfortable with the freeze response of a neutral chaemeleon. Blend in with the background when warring factions fight and wait for the storm to blow over before resuming work. The colleagues who battle it out for power will leave you alone as you pose no threat. Let your results speak for you and become an indispensable part of the system. What doesn’t work You could be labelled a good worker, whom everyone wants to retain but no one wants to promote. To avoid this, draw attention to your awesome work for the team. Keep your boss apprised of your achievements and let him know that you are ready for greater challenges. Flight response: Intrepid influencer Your personality type You are naturally sensitive to other people and attuned to the slightest change in behaviour and emotions at the workplace. You find it easy to empathise and share others’ problems. However, you can’t confront and fight with co-workers. The concept of office politics and its negative undertones make you want to run. What works for you Use your heightened awareness of social cues to identify trouble before it begins. When disgruntled coworkers complain about the firm or bosses, don’t be counted among trouble creators. Since you love to help people, build a bank of favours, which will be reciprocated when you are in trouble. If a colleague tries to poison your boss’s mind against you, advertise your achievements verbally and in writing to the boss. Act as a mediator between battling colleagues and defuse tensions. What doesn’t work Since your primary mode is of conflict avoidance, your detractors push you away from rewarding assignments by creating a negative atmosphere. It also costs you leadership roles since the management believes you can’t take hard people decisions. To avoid this, make a conscious effort to confront your baiters. Time your battles so that they get the most exposure and people know you are no pushover. Fight response: Political grandmaster Your personality type Since you were a kid, you knew your way around older siblings and could get in and out of trouble without much effort. In college, you were elected to the students’ council and your friends invariably turned to you for common decisions and conflict resolution. At the office, working alone bores you and you are fully energised by gossip and power struggle among various interest groups. What works for you You love to take risks and are willing to play the game for all or nothing. Work your way into cross-functional assignments, where you can display your team-building and leadership skills with diverse colleagues. Mentor people to build a following of coworkers, who serve as sources of information and loyal troops in battle. Use strategic gossip to spread information that helps you and others get the work done. Choose your battles to win and build a reputation for success at work and in leading groups. You are destined to be on the fast track to CEO or head of department. What doesn’t work Do not cross paths with a stronger opponent. A major loss will cost you clout and your supporters may switch camps to be on the winner’s side. Do not use illegal or unethical means to win battles. No organisation will tolerate a senior leader whose negative reputation places the business at risk. Have back-up options since your ambitions make you the target of equally powerful opponents who may get you fired. You need to survive for everyone’s sake, since all businesses need politically shrewd leaders to navigate troubled waters. Negotiating the political jungle 1 Lion king This colleague is fiercely protective about his turf. Avoid challenging his superiority or encroaching on his domain unless you wish to take on the lion. He is also loyal, largehearted and successful, and thus, an excellent ally to have in the political jungle. 2 Wily fox This co-worker is the ultimate survivor. A scavenger and an opportunistic predator, the fox looks for shortterm gains and targets the easiest victims. To be safe, don’t share your secrets, document interactions and increase the price of conflict. 3 Offensive skunk An employee who has resigned or is perceived to be the cause of a major problem at work is often treated like the malodorous skunk. Other animals stay away because the smell is offensive and sticks on contact. Keep your distance if your image is vulnerable. 4 Elephant matriarch Irreplaceable long-term employees with no political competition are often like elephants. They fraternise with a clique of similar people, have no known predators, have long memories and are dangerous if provoked. You have nothing to worry about unless you take them on, in which case you’ll be trampled. 5 Sociable monkey The non-aggressive monkey exists in large numbers and has a strong network of social bonds and friends. You can recognise him when he gladly does a favour for you. Learn to reciprocate and you shall have access to the monkey’s extensive network. DEVASHISH CHAKRAVARTY ETW130902