NCean Reviewer Final Exam
One should never overhear
TIPS HOW TO BE A GOOD EMPLOYEE BY AVOIDING
POLITICS AT WORK
“IT IS THE ORGANIZATION WHICH SUFFERS; IF
THE EMPLOYEES ARE ENGAGED IN POLITICS.
POLITICS NEVER BENEFITS ANYONE IN THE
LONGRUN, INSTEAD AFFECTS THE
PERFORMANCE OF INDIVIDUALS.”
EMPLOYEES PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN AVOIDING
POLITICS AT THE WORKPLACE. HERE’S SOME TIPS TO
WIN AT OFFICE POLITICS:
1. One of the best ways to win at office politics is to
ignore it. Don’t get involved in any of the controversies
at the work place. Avoid unnecessary arguments and
conflicts.
2. Focus on your own work rather than interfering in
other’s business. Remember your responsibilities as a
worker; you are paid for your hard work and not for
playing dirty politics at the workplace.
3. Try to help your fellow workers who are struggling in
their job. Be approachable and open minded to their
opinions and suggestions
4. Honesty is one of the most important attributes at
work to have a good relationship to your co-workers.
Never break anyone’s trust. If any of your colleagues has
confessed in you, don’t ever walk up to the superiors and
disclose the secrets.
5. Don’t unnecessarily react to every issue in the
workplace. Your fellow employee may attempt to play
clever games towards you however keep in mind that if
you are sincere in your job, no person ever can harm
you.
6. Don’t depend a lot on verbal communication.
Communicate via emails. It is usually really useful to
hold your boss in the loop in all styles of
communication. Let your superiors recognize what
you're up to.
7. Never manipulate any data. The information should be
handed on in its preferred form. Don’t play with words.
8. Never ever open anybody else’s confidential files or
take a look at his emails in his absence. Such matters are
considered strictly unprofessional. It is essential to
respect the privacy of others.
anyone else’s conversation.
9. Never take sides at the workplace. One should not
blindly support anyone. Promote open communication at
the workplace.
10. Always hold back your temper at the workplace. One
has to learn how to control his tongue. Be friendly to
everyone. Avoid the usage of derogatory sentences
towards any of your fellow workers.
11. Do not spread rumors at the work. It is better to talk
about things face to face instead of backbiting. Avoid
criticizing others. Try to look at the positive aspects of
life.
12. Create a goal for yourself and stick to it. Allowing
others to influence and affect your performance is not a
good idea.
WHAT IS WORKPLACE POLITICS?
By definition, Workplace Politics is an informal,
unofficial, and sometimes behind-the-scenes effort to sell
ideas, influence an organization, gain power, or
accomplish other goals. Politics in the workplace or at
the office is unavoidable and is rarely a welcome part of
the business landscape.
“You can be the best worker in the world, but that
won’t get you promoted. If you’re looking to get
ahead, you need to get political”. -CariGuittard,
Professor of Women’s Leadership,
WHY DO WORKPLACE POLITICS ARISE? - Workplace
politics can occur for a variety of reasons depending on
one’s purpose. Some people use it positively, but others
utilize it negatively. Hence, to help you become more
acquainted with the aforementioned politics, we
enumerated several reasons why this occurs.
REASONS FORWORKPLACE POLITICS
1. Employees aspiring to come in the limelight easily
without much hard work
2. Employees aspiring to achieve something beyond
their authority and control in a short span of time
3. Lack of supervision and control at the workplace
4. Too much of gossip
5. Arrogant superiors
6. Jealous colleagues
It is natural that people want to be successful in all
aspects of life, that is why it is common to people to use
or increase power in order to reach success even this
may go against the greater good in the workplace - the
reasons why workplace politics occur.
GENERALIZATION
Ways to keep appositive attitude at work
1. Take Time to Self-Assess and Take Deep Breaths
2. Don’t Take Criticism Personally
3. Spend Time with People Who Have a Positive
Attitude
4. Be Kind and Help your Colleagues
5. Feed Your Mind with Positivity
6. Take Responsibility for Your Actions
7. Deal with Problems Professional
8. Be Mindful: Ask Questions and Don’t Jump to
Conclusions
9. Practice Gratitude (No One Owes You Anything
10. Give Yourself a Chance to Recharge
11. Think About Your Career Goals and Dreams
12. Avoid Gossip
Tips How to be a Good Employee by Avoiding Politics
at Work
 Ignore it
 Focus on your own work rather than interfering in
other’s business
 Try to help your fellow workers who are struggling in
their job
 Honesty is one of the most important attributes at
work  Don’t unnecessarily react to every issue
in the workplace  Don’t depend a lot on verbal
communication  Never
manipulate any data.
 open anybody else’s confidential files
 Never take sides at the workplace
 Always hold back your temper at the workplace
 Do not spread rumors at the work
 Create a goal for yourself and stick to it
Reasons for Workplace Politics
● Employees aspiring to come in the limelight easily
without much hard work
● Employees aspiring to achieve something beyond their
authority and control in a short span of time
● Lack of supervision and control at the workplace
● Too much of gossip
● Arrogant superiors
● Jealous colleagues
WORKPLACE POLITICS: ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES
Workplace Politics - It is an informal, unofficial, and
sometimes behind-the-scenes effort to sell ideas,
influence an organization, gain power, or accomplish
other goals. Politics in the workplace or at the office is
unavoidable and is rarely a welcome part of the
business landscape. In every organization, you will
certainly find someone who is involved in politics in
order to secure his position at work.
ADVANTAGE OF WORKPLACE POLITICS
1. SINGLE-MINDED FOCUS- “Success is not a
destination, it is a
journey.” So, in order to succeed in business, you must
learn to live and let live. Workplace or business politics
might help you master the skill of ignoring petty politics
and concentrating solely on the task at hand.
2. MENTAL THOUGHNESS - Mental strength and
toughness are valuable qualities in business and in
character development.
3. POSITIVE MINDSET - A positive attitude is
essential for personal development and living a happy
life.
JAMES CLEAR
He asserts how research shows, “The benefits of positive
thoughts don’t stop after a few minutes of good feelings
subside. Positive thoughts, in fact, provide the most
benefit in terms of improving one's potential to acquire
skills and resources for later in life.”
4. OVERCOME HARDSHIP - To obtain a valuable
jewel, it must be mined, polished, and subjected to a
great deal of adversity before reaching its final form.
DISADVANTAGES OF WORKPLACE POLITICS
1. WASTED TIME - “Time and tide wait for no one,”
and office politics is no exception. Workplace politics
wastes a great deal of time.
2. LOST PRODUCTIVITY - Those who participate in
office politics or become a victim generally see a severe
drop in productivity.
3. INCREASED STRESS - Stress is a significant
impediment to success. Workplace politics yields a
thousand times more stress than a healthy workplace
culture.
4. STUNTED BUSINESS GROWTH - Workplace
politics can have a negative impact on your company's
growth. You need a dedicated staff who is focused on the
mission and vision you've set forth in order for your
company to develop.
Based on our definition, many of us would think that
workplace politics is not a good thing. Oftentimes, we
associate workplace politics to negative words such as
backstabbing, rumors, and even bootlicking.
Despite the fact that workplace politics has a negative
connotation, it can, however, be used to your advantage
without compromising your values by way of practicing
"good" politics and accepting it as a reality. No matter
how political your workplace would be, it is important
that you know how to deal with it to survive. Below are
the survival tips for Workplace Politics.
Ways to Use Workplace Politics Positively
1. Analyze the Organization Chart - Office politics
often circumvent the formal organizational structure.
2. Understand the Informal Network - Watch closely
(but discreetly and respectfully) to find out who gets
along with who, and who finds it more difficult to
interact with others.
3. Build Connections - Look beyond your immediate
team, and cross the formal hierarchy in all directions –
co-workers, managers and executives. Don't be afraid of
politically powerful people.
4. Develop Your "People Skills" - Reflect on your
emotions, what prompts them, and how you handle
them. If you can learn to self-regulate, you'll be able to
think before you act.
5. Make the Most of Your Network - When you
communicate your achievements to your connections,
they might open up opportunities to "shine" for you,
your team, and your boss. They can also act as a "bridge"
between you and other colleagues.
6. Be Brave – but Not Naïve - Your first instinct may be
to keep your distance from people who practice "bad"
politics. In fact, the opposite can be more effective. The
expression, "Keep your friends close and your enemies
closer," often applies to office politics.
7. Neutralize Negative Politics - Remain professional at
all times, and don't take sides, or get sucked into
arguments or recriminations. When a conflict arises,
remember that there doesn't have to be a winner and a
loser.
Five Things to Remember to Successfully Navigate
Workplace Politics
1. POLITICS IS NOT A DIRTY WORD - “Most
people have a negative perception of the phrase
‘politics,'” says Guittard. But the key to finding your
place in the corporate political landscape is to change
your own perception of the term. Politics, according to
Guittard, is about three things: influence, power, and
leadership. None of these should be regarded as
negative.
2. TITLES DON’T TELL ALL - “Don't get hung up on
titles,” says Beers. “Aim for influence.” While the
meaning of titles can change and responsibilities get
shifted, the power of influence remains constant.
Increasing your influence at work entails more than
pursuing a promotion for the sake of a more appealing
title.
3. IT’S A CASE OF MIND OVER MATTER - “Your
mindset and how you view things is everything,” says
Guittard. Being able to learn and adapt is an important
part of understanding and fitting into office politics.
Having a negative outlook hinders rather than helps. “Be
open to learning and developing in a positive way,” she
says.
4. MOVE AWAY FROM MODESTY - “Be brave,”
Beers insists. Get rid of the word ‘modesty' from your
vocabulary.” The goal is to assert ownership of your
work and show off your abilities. By advocating for
yourself, you can better demonstrate your worth and set
yourself up as a leader.
5. IT’S ALL RELATIVE - “Find a method to be
relevant in the present and a commonality with which
you can build a relationship,” Guittard advises. Building,
nurturing, and exploiting social capital—which is what
generates influence inside all workplace politics—
requires strong interpersonal relationships.
Interpersonal intelligence - It is the ability to
understand and interact effectively with others.
SUMMARY
Workplace politics has both positive and negative
impacts not only to the employees but also to the
organization itself. Workplace politics could only be
negative if it hampers individual growth. However, it can
be positive if it gives you strength, confidence, and
wisdom to grow. Being aware of workplace politics
helps you create an enjoyable work environment and
refocus on what matters most.