Q & A #DareToBe Tweet Chat: Tackling Office Politics (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)

At 8PM Eastern, every Tuesday, the #DareToBe tweetchat takes place and hosted by Andrea Sanchez (@asanchez16), an Editor, Writer & Communications Executive and according to her Twitter profile, from Houston, Texas.

Every week is a different topic. On the evening of April 28, 2015, the topic was TACKLING OFFICE POLITICS. I could not capture all the twitter based answers to the 10 questions asked by @ASanchez16. However, I present the questions and  my answers (with a bit of amplification). Please enjoy and if you can, please joins us. Look for the #DareToBe hashtag every Tuesday evening.

TACKLING OFFICE POLITICS

What is office politics?

Office politics is a workplace sub-culture that gets things done or makes things stagnant. It's faction driven Most importantly, whether they want to admit it or not Office Politics is leadership sponsored. The organization's leadership sponsors Office Politics when it does nothing to stop it or prevent it from starting in the first place.

Fill in the blank:  ____________ is a reason people are political in the workplace.

Lack of true and UNBIASED leadership is a reason people are political in the workplace. Some individuals will play politics because they feel that's what the organization's leadership wants. Then again, others will play the office politics game because no one is stopping them. Those are the ones that will push and push until their poison has permeated throughout the entire organization.

Why do most people have a negative connotation around office politics?

Unfortunately, it is the bad apples that are the loudest and get the attention. The negative connotation comes from the growth of the acceptance that Office Politics is just a necessary evil for any workplace.

Are there positive sides to office politics? Explain.

If done right, things that would fall into the abyss of bureaucracy could actually get done, be completed, come to a resolution. When leadership has failed the company and there are is a sub-culture that wants to the organization to succeed their form of politics can make things happen.

Is there a relationship between office politics and status quo thinking? Elaborate.

Status quo thinking does not always have to be part of office politics. While in most cases, the need to fit in is what drives and even feeds the office politics. However, depending on the culture of the organization the Status Quo could being going in the opposite direction than the Office Politics is going.

Share a general example (positive or negative) of workplace politics in action. Let's see who can relate.

The most general and possibly the most popular example of workplace politics is the Annual Christmas Party. Who is in the Christmas Party committee, who is vocal and what decisions are made are usually not indicative of the general consensus. This means those that are in dictate what they want vs. what those they represent want.

Do you need a position of power to have a voice in office politics? Explain.

You do not need to be in a position of power to have a voice in office politics. Just remember who signs the paycheck and stand up for yourself and never back down!

In remembering who signs the paycheck, some might need to be reminded they wanted to work for that company in the first place. Why else apply?

How can you break away from the cycle of letting politics dictate how you should think/act?

You break away from the cycle of letting politics dictate how you should think/act by knowing your job, do it very well, and ensure that your vision of yourself is never clouded by others.

Put yourself in a position that people will want to work with you no matter which side of the office politics the requests come from.

What skills prepare you to most effectively tackle politics in the workplace?

Having a strong work ethic, knowing right from wrong, know your job and the rest will take care of itself when it comes to Office Politics. It does not have to be a difficult fight. Be of strong character and everything will work out. Be of shady or uncertain character and you will get exactly what you deserve.

Tomorrow, I will stand up to office politics by ____________________.

Tomorrow, I will stand up to office politics by reinforcing to my employees that office politics are not condoned and most definitely NOT tolerated at any level. We don't have time for that and most certainly ALL our stakeholders don't have time for any of it.

That's it until next week.

Thank you,
David Guerra

I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

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