A Peep into Office Politics
As a continuing topic to my corporate animal post I did earlier, here are my thoughts on office politics.
While still working for the hustler boss, plus knowing what kind of an office environment I was in, and, wanting to get ahead, I dealt with office politics the best way I could. I worked hard. Managed to stay a team player, cooperative and mindful of my co-workers, every step of the way. But at the same time, I knew that to advance my career I needed a plan. Something honest and intelligent to help me get to where I wanted to be. In an open manner, of course.
I read up and found out that there were legitimate strategies and tact to improve my position. And these were the implements I used to gain my momentum:
Remember, I was still working for the boss and his wife.
1. Every time I finished an assignment, I would write my boss and the wife a memo, with a summary of what has been achieved. The memo talked about what has been accomplished and how it affected the company's bottom line.
2. I sent my boss every copy of my correspondence with my prospects or clients, just to document the activity. I kept my own personal copy at home.
3. All the job requests I made in aid of closing a sale, I put in writing. This is to avoid taking the blame for something I didn't have anything to do with.
4. I always consulted my boss' wife about my sales strategies, asking her advice that way I am clearly visible in her radar.
5. I accepted all special assignments and sometimes even volunteered a couple of times. (Chairing the Christmas Party activities)
6. I always shielded my work from co-workers who tried to steal the limelight from my work by again, confiding and consulting the boss' wife.
7. I was always generous about sincerely praising people I work with on projects.
8.Being new at the sales job, I acknowledge my limitations but compensated by learning hard, reading up, asking people in the know for suggestions, and feedback to improve myself.
In the course of doing all these things, I have met ruthless co-workers and prospects and customers who had nothing better to do but put me down. I am no saint. But I fight fair and square. This was something the dark side of office politics was not able to do - vanquish me. How I did that? Always, as in ALWAYS, I would openly admit my mistakes if I have to, and more so, even if I didn't have to.
While still working for the hustler boss, plus knowing what kind of an office environment I was in, and, wanting to get ahead, I dealt with office politics the best way I could. I worked hard. Managed to stay a team player, cooperative and mindful of my co-workers, every step of the way. But at the same time, I knew that to advance my career I needed a plan. Something honest and intelligent to help me get to where I wanted to be. In an open manner, of course.
I read up and found out that there were legitimate strategies and tact to improve my position. And these were the implements I used to gain my momentum:
Remember, I was still working for the boss and his wife.
1. Every time I finished an assignment, I would write my boss and the wife a memo, with a summary of what has been achieved. The memo talked about what has been accomplished and how it affected the company's bottom line.
2. I sent my boss every copy of my correspondence with my prospects or clients, just to document the activity. I kept my own personal copy at home.
3. All the job requests I made in aid of closing a sale, I put in writing. This is to avoid taking the blame for something I didn't have anything to do with.
4. I always consulted my boss' wife about my sales strategies, asking her advice that way I am clearly visible in her radar.
5. I accepted all special assignments and sometimes even volunteered a couple of times. (Chairing the Christmas Party activities)
6. I always shielded my work from co-workers who tried to steal the limelight from my work by again, confiding and consulting the boss' wife.
7. I was always generous about sincerely praising people I work with on projects.
8.Being new at the sales job, I acknowledge my limitations but compensated by learning hard, reading up, asking people in the know for suggestions, and feedback to improve myself.
In the course of doing all these things, I have met ruthless co-workers and prospects and customers who had nothing better to do but put me down. I am no saint. But I fight fair and square. This was something the dark side of office politics was not able to do - vanquish me. How I did that? Always, as in ALWAYS, I would openly admit my mistakes if I have to, and more so, even if I didn't have to.
