Navigating 'Office Politics'

Even in an age of remote and hybrid work, most people can’t avoid “office politics.” It’s easy to get caught up in thinking about who slighted whom, which colleague received a promotion you don’t think they deserved, or why a particular coworker got a plum project.

However, you don’t have to participate just because these shenanigans surround you. What you should do is prepare for the inevitability of the challenge they represent and decide how you’re going to react.

Here are a few things to remember:

• Ask yourself, “What is my tolerance for office politics?” If you enjoy being in the thick of this kind of thing, I guess you can dive right in! But I hope you’ll choose otherwise, as it’s rare that any good comes of these kinds of gossipy machinations. I don’t enjoy work politics, so the advice below comes from that perspective.
• Strive to build trust with your colleagues. Some of your colleagues will become trusted friends, while others won’t. That’s natural and OK. But it is important to try to build trust where you can. As you begin working with people, be cautious in how much you share, and pay attention to what they share of your conversations, in turn. That will help you know what steps you need to take to build a relationship of trust, or whether doing so likely won’t be possible. Building those relationships can take time, but it’s worth the effort.
• Try to stay above the fray. This isn’t always possible, of course, but at some point, you must pick your battles. No matter how well you get along with your colleagues, you have a finite amount of political capital at work. Be wise in how you use it. That probably means you can’t jump into every dispute with guns blazing. Figure out what’s most important to you, your team, and your principles, and be prepared to lay it on the line for those things. In other situations, try to be cool. And remember, if you want to know what your important issues are, you need to spend some time pondering them and considering how you will react to different topics or ideas. You’ll be glad you made that investment of time when challenging situations arise.
• Be kind, help others, and act with fairness and consistency. Doing so costs you nothing, and I think it’s the best way to make work politics more tolerable. If you’re doing everything in your power to help your company and your colleagues, you’ll earn the respect and trust of most of the people with whom you work. Even better, when you look in the mirror, you’ll be able to look yourself in the eye and know that you’re a person of integrity. You can’t overestimate the value of that.
• Keep confidences. This can be challenging, especially when you’re in a management role. If you get along well with your colleagues and the people who report to you, you’ll want to share information with them. I think it’s best to share as much as you can, because I’m a big believer in transparency. But you also need to know when the information you’ve received is confidential and treat it that way. If you gain a reputation as someone who can’t be trusted, that perception will be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome.
• Don’t be afraid to refer people to someone with more authority. If a person wants to drag you into a conflict, you are not always obligated to choose sides or become a part of the situation. It’s perfectly acceptable to lend a listening ear for a while, but then suggest that the person take their complaint to their manager or HR. It’s usually best to avoid getting in the middle of a fight when you know you can’t have a meaningful impact on the result. This is more difficult when you’re the manager of the person making the complaint, but even then, there are times when referring someone to HR is the right choice. Know what those situations are, and act accordingly.

Even if you follow this advice, you’re likely to be hurt by work politics at some point in your career. When that time comes, don’t let it overwhelm you. Process your feelings about the situation or the person who was adversarial towards you, but also remember your many kind, wonderful colleagues and the amazing things you’re building. Don’t let anger fester inside of you, and don’t seek revenge. Consider it a lesson learned, albeit a painful one, and let it go.

Have you had to deal with work politics during your career? How did you handle it? What advice would you add to this list? Let’s talk about it in the comments.