Workplace Politics: A necessary evil
Again, the question arises about the employees who do not become a part to this politics at their workplace. Experts say that giving up to the politics without being a part of it and fighting it, especially when it is unfair, is not advisable either. Sometimes, the politics becomes the necessary evil simply for self defense. As often, the people staying away are taken as a threat and become the victim of the workplace politics and are eliminated.
As it has become unavoidable to avoid the politics at today’s workplace, it has become necessary for every employee to:
connect to people,
try to identify the source of power,
observe and be aware of the happenings around, people’s strengths and weaknesses and their emotional intelligence.
Avoiding politics at workplace
Although it is practically impossible to make your workplace free from the politics, but the organisation and the employees can follow certain ethics for themselves to make their workplace healthier:
Avoid distorting or manipulating the truth and the facts.
Be yourself. Don’t have different faces to suit different people and different situations.
Be fair in your dealings. Take decisions based on other’s performance and not on the basis of your relations with them.
Be flexible, approachable and accessible to others. Rigidity can isolate you.
Communicate – Lack of proper communication is the root cause of most of the problems. Therefore, ensure a timely and open communication system. Hiding information, rumors or distorted information can aggravate the situation and problem. Proper communication will also help to combat the effect of gossip.
Have a broader perspective. Don’t work to satisfy your ego every time. Give a fair chance to everyone to put forward their thoughts.
Last but not the least; be clear in your conscious. Don’t compromise on your morals and ethics and, don’t hesitate to apologize if you realize that you are wrong.
It would be right to conclude that being a part of the interpersonal relations, politics at workplace is prevalent everywhere, and is unavoidable in most cases. But it’s more important to play the game right. Know the rules, stay true to yourself, don’t harm someone personally or his/her career, don’t take grudges home. Try to create a win-win situation for yourself, others and the organisation. Politics at workplace – can be good or bad – depends on how people take it and make it!
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